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Nothing has changed in the prognosis for Vierling, who has been battling an adductor strain and left heel inflammation, this was done as a procedural move to free up a spot on the team’s 40-man roster for the return of Brant Hurter on Sunday. This closes the door on the 2026 season for Vierling.

Vierling’s foot is being evaluated. He’s already missed four weeks with the adductor strain, but he was hoping to return next month.

Vierling suffered the injury during Wednesday’s game against the Orioles. The Tigers have yet to provide a timeline for his return, but he’s going to miss at least a couple of weeks at a minimum. Max Clark was promoted from Triple-A in a corresponding move on Friday.

Vierling was lifted for a pinch-runner following a leadoff triple in the fifth inning. He’ll undergo further evaluation to determine whether he’ll require a trip to the injured list prior to Friday’s series opener against the Athletics.

Vierling tagged White Sox’ opener Brandon Eisert for a 408-foot (103.6-mph EV) two-run shot in the opening inning that gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead. That would be his only hit in the contest. It has been a rough season overall for the 29-year-old outfielder, slashing .201/.260/.348 with five homers and 25 RBI.

Injuries have forced the Tigers to use Vierling a lot more than anticipated, and it’s not going well. Normally a platoon guy against lefties, he’s currently starting against righties about two-thirds of the time, even though he’s hitting just .183/.228/.323 against them. If Max Clark were thriving in Triple-A, the Tigers probably would have called him up by now. As is, they’re really lacking in alternatives.

Vierling started the game with a solo home run off of Red Sox opener Jovani Moran and then added a single later in the game. Since Moran is a lefty, Vierling was at the top of the order, but the 29-year-old is hitting .221/.279/.390. It remains to be seen if the return of Zach McKinstry from the injured list will impact Vierling’s playing time against right-handed pitching going forward.

Vierling plays against all lefties but has been splitting center field reps with Wenceel Pérez against right-handers. There’s CF playing time up for grabs with Parker Meadows and Javier Báez both sidelined, but Detroit is unlikely to suddenly turn Vierling into a true everyday option. He’s best deployed in DFS and daily lineup formats when facing a southpaw.

Vierling’s doubles came on liners hit 108 and 105 mph. He’s 11-for-31 with six extra-base hits this spring. 2025 was pretty much a lost year for him because of a season-opening shoulder injury and a season-ending oblique strain, but he’d still seem to be locked into a role with the Tigers as a starter somewhere against lefties, and if he excels, there could be some additional outfield time available versus righties.

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.

Vierling missed the end of the 2025 campaign and the playoffs because of an oblique strain, but his versatility has made him a very valuable player for Detroit when healthy. He’ll likely play a multitude of positions for the Tigers in 2026.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch stopped short of calling it a setback, but Vierling appears unlikely to make it back before the regular season wraps up and his postseason status is in jeopardy now. There should be some clarity on his status at some point in the next few days.

The versatile 28-year-old has spent the majority of the season on the injured list with a wide array of injuries. This time, he has been shelved since August 10 due to a left oblique strain. It’s unclear how many at-bats he’ll need there before he’s cleared to rejoin the Tigers. He should be expected back at some point next week barring any setbacks.