Athletics outfielder Zack Gelof sues Tigers in bizarre early twist to Detroit's offseason

In one of the stranger wrinkles we're likely to see this offseason, Athletics outfielder Zack Gelof is reportedly suing the Tigers over an in-game incident in early July.

In the last game of a three-game series the Tigers were hoping to sweep, Gelof got the start in left field. In the bottom of the third, Zach McKinstry hit a ball into far left foul territory. Gelof slid and made a nice play, but his knee went into the exposed wiring of a barricade.

It was immediately clear that the wire had cut through at least his pant leg, and he curled up into a ball holding that leg. He was taken out of the game and was placed on the IL the next day with a knee laceration.

The lawsuit claims "the team and park were negligent in not recognizing the danger the fence posed," and names the team alongside Ilitch Holdings and the Detroit-Wayne County Stadium Authority. It also drags a Tigers player into the ordeal, citing a postgame acknowledgement from Riley Greene that that particular part of the stadium can be "unforgiving." The Tigers covered the area with padding shortly after.

Gelof seeks "compensation for pain and suffering, economic loss, lost wages, emotional and mental distress, medical bills, attorney fees and other damages."

Athletics outfielder Zack Gelof sues Tigers over in-game injury in early July

There's kind of precedent here. Last year, former Brewers infielder Darin Ruf sued the Reds over an "unpadded metal tarp roller" that he collided with while attempting to make a play in June 2023. He was officially diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture of his patella and alleged "permanent and substantial deformities to his knee." It ended up being his last professional game up to this point. The case remains ongoing.

Gelof's career was not ended by the incident, and he went on to miss just a month but returned to the major league club after his IL stint was over. He even put together a decent year afterwards, batting .234 with a .789 OPS, 11 homers, and 26 RBI.

Although Gelof presumably continued to be paid during his IL stint with medical expenses covered by the Athletics, his lawsuit is understood to be a reaction to earnings he might lose in his first year of arbitration eligibility.

The Tigers have acknowledged the suit, but vaguely, saying, "We are aware of the lawsuit and do not comment on pending litigation."

If Ruf's lawsuit was any indication, we may never hear about the outcome of this one, but it's certainly a strange way to kick off the offseason.

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