Tigers’ lone switch hitter proving to be immediate X-factor in return from injury

When Wenceel Pérez homered on his first swing of the 2025 season after a lengthy stint on the injured list, it was more than just a feel-good story. It was the start of something special for the 25-year-old outfielder, who seems to be carving out a space for himself in the Detroit Tigers' lineup during his second Major League season.

In just nine games since his activation off the IL, Pérez already has three doubles and three home runs, slashing .323/.364/.710 for an OPS of 1.074. As the Tigers' lone switch hitter, he provides flexibility to their batting order with competitive appearances on both sides of the plate.

Though the start of his season was delayed after a back injury sidelined him for 65 days dating back to spring training, Pérez made an immediate impact in his brief time with the Tigers this season. He has been one of Detroit's hottest hitters since he arrived, which makes it easy to forget that he wasn't even a lock to make the Opening Day roster this season.

Tigers’ switch-hitting outfielder Wenceel Pérez proving he was worth the wait in return from IL

Entering camp this year, Pérez was a decent ways down the Tigers' depth chart as their third-string option in center field behind Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling. But as both Meadows and Vierling went down with injuries during spring training that would cause them to miss the start of the season (and then some), Pérez went from being a long shot to make the Opening Day roster to a veritable shoo-in.

That all changed, however, when Pérez went down with an injury of his own. On March 27, he was placed on the 10-day IL with lumbar spine inflammation. By April 8, he had been transferred to the 60-day IL. At that point, with both Meadows and Vierling set to return on similar timelines, Pérez's chance at getting a regular spot in the Tigers' Major League lineup seemed all but lost. At the very least, it felt like an unnecessary uphill battle for the young slugger.

However, Vierling went back on the IL almost as quickly as he arrived, and Kerry Carpenter continues to deal with a nagging hamstring issue, giving Pérez a second chance at being a big league starter – and he is continuing to make the most of it.

More Tigers content from Motor City Bengals