Tigers Injury Update: Matt Vierling, Beau Brieske, Manuel Margot, Parker Meadows

Emma Lingan

Colorado Rockies v Detroit Tigers / Nic Antaya/GettyImages

The Detroit Tigers finally got some positive news on the injury front this week, and their lengthy list of injured players looks like it could be two names shorter as early as next week.

Right-handed reliever Beau Brieske and outfielder Manuel Margot, both of whom landed on the Injured List earlier this month, each started their respective minor league rehab assignments and, if all goes well, could rejoin the Tigers in short order.

Brieske, who landed on the 15-day IL with right ankle inflammation on April 18, is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment with High-A West Michigan on Wednesday and could rejoin the Tigers during their current road trip, according to manager AJ Hinch.

Margot, who has been on the 10-day IL with a left patellar tendon strain, began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday and went 1-for-3 with a single and an RBI as a DH. According to the club's injury and transaction log, Margot is on track to return to the Tigers in "early May."

Tigers Injury Update: Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows eyeing possible May return

Utility man Matt Vierling, who opened the season on the IL with a right rotator cuff muscle strain, had been shut down from throwing for several weeks but has since been cleared to progress his throwing volume and intensity following a doctor's examination on Monday. Hinch said that Vierling could begin his rehab assignment "pretty soon," and he is expected to return to the Tigers in early to mid May.

Center fielder Parker Meadows, who opened the season on the 60-day IL with right upper arm nerve discomfort, is taking batting practice and playing catch daily along with defensive drills. His expected return timeline is less clear due to the nature of his injury, but there's a possibility he could join the Tigers by the end of May.

Catcher Jake Rogers is hitting off a tee, playing catch and completing defensive drills as he rehabs a left oblique strain that has sidelined him since April 8. He is traveling with the Tigers on their current road trip, a positive sign that he could be activated off the IL before too long.

Finally, right-handed pitcher Alex Cobb – who missed all of spring training due to right hip inflammation and has yet to appear in a game as a member of the Tigers – is in Detroit and facing live hitting in BP sessions. He is still on track to join the Tigers before the end of May.

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Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.