Tigers surprise fans with Kerry Carpenter return in abrupt manner

It was this past Friday that Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch teased that the return of Kerry Carpenter was imminent. Carpenter has been sidelined since the end of June with a hamstring injury, and Hinch told reporters when the weekend started that the 27-year-old outfielder is close to being ready for a comeback.

“He’s doing well,” Hinch said. “It’s funny what baseball does to you when you have time off, whether it’s calibrating [your] body, mind, eyes. Just getting back into the swing of things is important for him.”

While the initial plan may have been for Carpenter to spend the entire weekend on a rehab assignment, the plans changed. Chris McCosky was the first to report that Carpenter was spotted in the Tigers' clubhouse ahead of their game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. The string of updates from McCosky all but confirmed that Carpenter will be activated off the IL, and Trey Sweeney will be optioned.

The Tigers also confirmed the move when they posted their starting lineup for Sunday, showing Carpenter near the top of the order while playing right field.

Tigers welcome back Kerry Carpenter in move that could jolt lineup

Carpenter's return is a much-needed sight for a Tigers team that has struggled in July. Entering play on Sunday, the Tigers have lost 6 straight games and have lost 9 of their last 10 games overall. The struggles have left Tigers fans searching for answers during the team's lowly play in recent weeks, and the hope is that Carpenter's return marks a turning point away from those struggles.

Prior to the injury, Carpenter was a key part of the Tigers' lineup, hitting 16 home runs on the season with a 114 wRC+. As Carpenter makes his return to the Major League roster, the expectation is that he will split time between the corner outfield spots with some designated hitter assignments sprinkled in.

With Sweeney optioned, Zach McKinstry will have more runway at shortstop and third base. Sweeney, prior to being optioned, barely hit over .200 through 258 plate appearances this season with 5 home runs and a 63 wRC+.

More reinforcements should be coming for the Tigers before the trade deadline on Thursday, but Carpenter's return can't be understated.

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