Matt Vierling went 3-for-3 with a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored on Friday against the Red Sox.

Vierling is a bit of a forgotten man in Detroit because he missed most of last season with an injury, but he’s gone 8-for-15 this spring with no strikeouts and an over 60 percent hard-hit rate. His home run was a 358-foot bomb that let the bat at 100.8 mph, and he also added a 111 mph RBI single and a 105.5 mph RBI double. He will almost assuredly start against all left-handed pitching this season, but there’s a chance that he works himself into a bigger role if Colt Keith or one of the starting corner outfielders struggles at the plate.