AJ Hinch's injury update on Wenceel Pérez has Tigers fans genuinely concerned

On Wednesday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported Wenceel Pérez was under evaluation after suffering a freak accident following Tuesday's game. He was going through his typical workout routine and was struck in the face by a plyometric band from one of the machines.

Tigers fans are, of course, concerned with his health first and foremost, but there was an avoidable tinge of exasperation. Not at Pérez, rather the absolutely rotten hand this team has been dealt this season. How much more snakebitten could one team be?

Pérez was, unsurprisingly, out of the lineup on Wednesday and wasn't even at the game. AJ Hinch provided an update after the Tigers' 4-2 loss to the Astros: "He's getting a battery of tests to check out his face, eye, to make sure everything is OK. I'm pretty concerned about him."

It seems the Tigers are still waiting to hear more news about Pérez's condition, and Thursday's off day gives them some grace in terms of timing, but if Hinch's comments and the Tigers' track record are any indication, a 10-day IL stint for Pérez doesn't seem impossible.

Wenceel Pérez suffers freak accident and could be next to join Tigers' long IL

Pérez has been struggling at the plate this season, hitting .180 with a .594 OPS. He's hit the fifth-most homers of any Tiger, but every time he manages to send a ball out of the park, it feels like a miracle given the quality of the majority of his other at-bats.

If Pérez goes onto the IL, the Tigers are probably going to have to call up one of the players fans were begging them to replace Pérez with, even when he was healthy. Veteran Corey Julks, who is in Toledo on a minor league deal, is hitting .300 with a .903 OPS. Unranked outfield prospect Ben Malgeri has been a surprise hit for the Mud Hens: .304/.925 with nine homers and 33 RBI.

As much as fans have soured to Pérez, though, it would astounding if he ended up on the IL because of this. This is what's been happening to the Tigers all season: they get a player or two back, then they lose one or two more in the blink of an eye. And on and on it goes.

Hopefully, Pérez turns out alright, but the Tigers' silence on the issue so far isn't exactly inspiring any warm feelings.

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