Tigers reveal unorthodox way they handled Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows’ injuries

For most teams, throwing injuries involving position players are treated as routine setbacks. A little rest, some strengthening work, and a gradual ramp-up is usually the play. Outfielders and infielders simply don’t live in the same biomechanical world as pitchers, so their recoveries are often handled differently.

But with outfielders Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows, the Detroit Tigers decided not to follow that script.

Instead, when Meadows suffered a rare nerve injury in his right arm and Vierling strained the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder at the start of 2025 spring training, the organization turned to one of the most unconventional resources available on staff — a pitching coach.

Assistant pitching coach Robin Lund became the unlikely centerpiece of Detroit’s solution, blending biomechanics, academic research and pitcher-style throwing programs into a recovery plan that quietly reflects how far modern player development has evolved in Detroit under A.J. Hinch.

Tigers borrowed from the most protected arms in baseball to treat throwing injuries to Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows

Throwing injuries among position players aren’t as common, particularly serious ones. That rarity can actually create a challenge because the lack of a standardized recovery blueprint often forces teams to fall into reactive decision-making.

But with Vierling and Meadows, the Tigers chose innovation. Rather than isolating them within traditional athletic training protocols, Detroit leaned into Lund’s background — one that looks more like a research lab résumé than a typical baseball coaching path.

Before joining the Tigers in November 2022, Lund spent years as the University of Iowa’s pitching coach while simultaneously building an academic career that included earning a doctoral degree in exercise science and serving more than 15 years as a kinesiology professor.

Pitchers operate under some of the most carefully managed workloads in professional sports. Every throw is monitored. Recovery timelines are mapped out months in advance. Biomechanical inefficiencies are scrutinized down to shoulder angles and stride lengths. Under Lund's guidance, Detroit applied that same philosophy to Vierling and Meadows.

Both players followed structured return-to-play throwing programs designed similarly to those used for rehabbing pitchers recovering from shoulder or elbow injuries. Instead of simply ramping up throws based on feel, the process emphasized progressive workload increases, mechanical checkpoints and offseason continuation programs. Instead of just injury rehab, it became injury prevention.

For Meadows, whose nerve injury presented unique uncertainty, careful progression was essential to avoid aggravating symptoms that can linger unpredictably. For Vierling, whose value to the Tigers depends heavily on defensive versatility and arm strength across multiple positions, protecting long-term shoulder health was equally critical.

In an era where pitching labs, data tracking and individualized swing work often grab headlines, injury management may quietly be the biggest competitive advantage. Healthy players win games, and health doesn't happen by accident.

Both Meadows and Vierling entered 2026 spring training fully healthy. That outcome might not generate the excitement of a blockbuster signing or a top prospect debut, but inside a clubhouse built around pitching depth and defensive flexibility, availability matters as much as talent.

Meadows’ speed and elite defensive range remain critical to Detroit’s outfield alignment. Vierling’s ability to move between the outfield and infield gives Hinch lineup flexibility few contenders possess. Neither role works without a functioning throwing arm.

By trusting an unconventional solution — and empowering a pitching coach to treat position players like pitchers — the Tigers may have quietly prevented lingering problems that could have stretched into another season.