Detroit Tigers (40-22) outfielder and designated hitter Kerry Carpenter is one of many reasons why his team has the best record in baseball. The 27-year-old is on pace for career-highs in homers (13) and RBI (27) through 57 games thus far, as his personal-best marks are 20 homers and 64 RBI across 118 games in 2023.
Additionally, Carpenter is third on the Tigers with an .849 OPS and second with a .273 batting average. The 6-foot-1-inch, 220-pounder also hit three homers in Detroit’s 13-1 win over the Chicago White Sox (19-42) on Monday.
However, the Tigers will have to win without Carpenter vs. the White Sox on Wednesday.
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While Carpenter was in the initial starting lineup, batting fifth and playing right field, the team announced the unfortunate news that he has been scratched with a hamstring issue. Wenceel Pérez is now in right field in his place.
“Kerry Carpenter has been scratched due to right hamstring tightness,” the club announced before the game.
Detroit drafted Carpenter No. 562 overall in 2019 and called him up in August 2022. The Virginia Tech alum owns a career slash line of .276/.302/.512 with 57 homers and 158 RBI across 293 games. He also slashed .263/.300/.421 with one homer and four RBI in seven playoff contests last year.
The Tigers will face the White Sox one more time at Rate Field on Thursday before hosting the Chicago Cubs (38-22). After that, they’ll go back on the road to play the Baltimore Orioles (23-36) before returning home to face the Cincinnati Reds (30-33) and Pittsburgh Pirates (22-39).
Detroit owns a six-game lead atop the AL Central.
