Wenceel Pérez’s frustrating start should have Tigers considering this non-Max Clark option

Wenceel Pérez was the obvious call for Detroit when Parker Meadows went onto the IL. Fans would've preferred Max Clark, who remains blazing hot in Triple-A, but the Tigers have been transparent about their plans for him. No matter how well he's doing in Toledo right now, we shouldn't expect to see him get his debut until closer to the end of the season.

To his credit, Pérez was also looking very good with the Mud Hens, hitting .250 with a .808 OPS, two homers, and four RBI through 10 games. He improved year-over-year by almost every metric from 2024 to 2025; the Tigers just didn't have room for him by Opening Day.

Nearly 30 at-bats into his 2026 season, though, things are looking bleak.

He has exactly one hit — to be fair, it was a good one: a go-ahead and eventually game-winning solo homer against the Royals last week. All told, he's hitting .038.

The Tigers have a tendency to stand by their young, homegrown players even when they shouldn't, but there's a veteran option just waiting in the wings and posting good numbers in Toledo. Corey Julks, who the Tigers signed to a minor league deal this offseason, should be the easy next call if the Tigers decide they've seen enough of Pérez.

Corey Julks should be on Tigers' radar as a Wenceel Pérez replacement

Julks had a great spring training, which led some fans to advocate for him getting a spot on the Opening Day roster over Meadows or Matt Vierling. The Tigers sent him down anyway, but AJ Hinch sent a message: "Be ready."

And for what if not this exact scenario?

Julks is hitting .279/.845 with three homers and 13 RBI through 16 games in Triple-A. Of course, that kind of success doesn't always translate (Pérez is proving it right now), but the Tigers shouldn't keep letting Pérez swing at first pitches for ground ball outs.

The homer clearly bought him some time. It was undeniably clutch, and it gave the Tigers some hope that he would be able to continue to build on a solid sophomore season. But it hasn't given him any momentum, and he doesn't even have the excuse of being a typically slow starter on his side; he hit .302 with a .628 slugging in his first ever month in the majors, then .282 with a .603 slugging in June 2025.

It's getting harder and harder to watch Pérez flail. Leaving him out of Monday's lineup was the right decision, and we have to wonder how many chances he has left.

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