Kerry Carpenter is heading to the 10-day injured list, and if you’ve been watching the Tigers, you know this one hurts way more than just a bruised heel. The team is expecting to make it official for plantar fasciitis, a brutal blow that’s been brewing for weeks and explains his recent struggles.
The Culprit: A Spike and a Switch
So what happened? Carpenter has been battling a bruised left heel for a couple of weeks, but it looks like it’s gotten worse. He even grimaced after hitting a fly ball in the fourth inning on Sunday, forcing him out of the game. Now, they’re sending him to a specialist because the Tigers suspect it’s full-blown plantar fasciitis. Hinch said, “I’m not a doctor, but I think there was an event. It’s somewhat connected to the heel but in a different part of the foot.” The real kicker? The bruise was reportedly caused by a molded spike on his cleats, right over his heel. Carpenter, who’d been rocking Under Armor for ages, recently switched to New Balance. Thankfully, New Balance has already tweaked the design and eliminated that specific spike, but the damage might already be done for Carpenter.
Season of Struggle, Roster Shuffle
It’s been a rough season for Carpenter. His .208/.276/.416 slash line is a career low. And July? Man, it’s been a nightmare. He’s gone 6 for 52 this month, zero extra-base hits, and punched out 14 times. You gotta wonder how much that foot issue was messing with him at the plate, right? With Carpenter sidelined, right-handed hitter Eduardo Valencia is already in the clubhouse, waiting for the final word. This dude has been crushing it at Triple-A Toledo with 17 homers and even showed out with two dingers and a .417 average in a six-game stint with the big club earlier this month. He can catch, play first, or DH, so he’s got some versatility. Bringing in Valencia, a righty, for the lefty-swinging Carpenter definitely shifts the lineup balance. Hinch put it perfectly, saying, “It’s always a balance act.” He mentioned Hao-Yu Lee stepping up against righties, so they’ve got options, but it’s still a puzzle to solve series by series. Speaking of injuries, Javier Báez is still on his rehab assignment after that severe ankle sprain back on April 28. He looked good over the weekend in Triple-A, going 5 for 8 with three doubles across two games. Hinch wants to respect his ramp-up, so no rush there.
The Tigers gotta shake this off fast because the Orioles are rolling into Comerica Park tomorrow night at 6:40 p.m. It’s Dean Kremer for Baltimore, and man, his 5.06 ERA and 10 homers allowed in just 32 innings show he’s still trying to find his groove after a quad strain. For the Tigers, it’s Troy Melton, who’s got a stellar 1.95 ERA, but he’s gotta dial in those walks, having issued four in less than six innings in his last two starts. This squad needs to rally, especially with Carpenter out, and Melton setting the tone on the mound is huge for them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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