The Detroit Tigers are staying patient with Matt Vierling — and with good reason. After missing time with a right shoulder injury, the versatile outfielder/third baseman is slowly working his way back to Detroit, but fans hoping for a quick return may have to wait a bit longer.
Vierling began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on May 4, and so far, everything is trending in the right direction. Still, according to Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, the team won’t be rushing him back.
A Methodical Timeline in Toledo
Hinch provided some clarity during a media session on May 11, explaining how the Tigers plan to evaluate Vierling’s readiness in stages.
“Just slowly but effectively mirror what he’s going to do when he comes back here,” Hinch said as quoted by the Detroit Free Press. “We’ll gather information along the way and decide how long he needs to do that in order to be ready to come back.”
So far, Vierling has appeared in four games as the designated hitter, going 3-for-10 with two home runs, five walks, and four strikeouts across 15 plate appearances. While he’s clearly swinging the bat well, the Tigers are now shifting their focus to how he handles himself defensively.
“Obviously, he’s swinging the bat pretty well,” Hinch added. “The at-bats, recognizing pitches, the spring training-type workload from a hitting standpoint, he’s doing really, really well. Now we need to watch the defense.”
Next Steps in the Rehab Plan
According to the Detroit Free Press, here’s what Vierling’s schedule looks like moving forward:
- May 11: Right field
- May 12: Mud Hens off day
- May 13–14: Outfield (including center field)
- Around May 15: Designated hitter
- May 16–18: Split time between third base and outfield
- May 19: Another off day
All of this is designed to mirror his multi-positional role with the Tigers.
When Will Vierling Return to the Tigers?
While no official return date has been announced, May 19 is the earliest realistic target — though the team has until May 24 to activate him. If all goes well, expect to see Vierling back in Detroit by the end of next week, ready to contribute wherever he’s needed.
