Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter has returned from the injured list after suffering a hamstring injury rounding the bases against the Minnesota Twins a few weeks ago. In a corresponding move, the Tigers have sent down shortstop Trey Sweeney to Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers went 7-14 in the 21 games he missed.
Sweeney had a decent month of May, batting .253 in 91 plate appearances, but has struggled for the majority of the season. In the field, Sweeney provides hardly any value to the Tigers, making him a prime candidate to be sent down as the team looks to find its identity again.
OF Kerry Carpenter has been activated off of the 10-day injured list.
INF Trey Sweeney has been optioned to Triple-A Toledo.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) July 27, 2025
Kerry Carpenter Returns for Tigers
Kerry Carpenter has always been a huge reason for the success of the Tigers, but his problem has been staying healthy. This is the second time this season Carpenter has missed extended time due to an injury, both involving his hamstring. While his overall power has declined this season, Carpenter still adds depth to the lineup as the team looks to get back to its scoring ways.
THREE HOME RUNS FOR KERRY CARPENTER
HAVE A NIGHT! pic.twitter.com/BUyZ1RV7Of
— MLB (@MLB) June 3, 2025
The Tigers did score 10 runs in the first game back with Carpenter in the lineup, after scoring just 12 runs over the previous five games. While Carpenter didn’t do much offensively, he gave the Tigers quality at-bats. There is no immediate word on how much Carpenter will play down the stretch of the season, but it is hard to imagine him playing in back-to-back games given the recent injury history. If Carpenter is able to stay healthy heading into this October, the Tigers have a really good chance of winning it all.
More Moves Ahead
Given the continued injury concerns surrounding Kerry Carpenter, the Tigers could look to add some more outfield depth to allow Carpenter to DH more often. Some names to look out for include Harrison Bader of the Minnesota Twins, Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Josh Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays. All three are potential options for the Tigers, with Donovan more likely than not costing the most due to his defensive versatility.
There have been reports swirling about all three of these teams being willing to sell, so the Tigers should definitely be taking advantage of the opportunity. While Bader and Lowe have struggled at the plate as of late, both have shown power potential throughout their careers. Bader is also an elite defender, so the Tigers could just plug him into the eight or nine spot in what is already a fairly deep lineup. While Josh Lowe has been subpar offensively the last two seasons, he is still a player who is capable of hitting 20 home runs and carrying an OPS above .800.
The trade deadline is just four days away, so management is going to need to act fast in order to capitalize on the wonderful opportunity ahead. The Detroit Tigers have a strong chance to reach the World Series for the first time since 2012. The team doesn’t need to make any major changes to the roster. At the very most, they will need to add one or two more depth pieces while also finding a way to strengthen the bullpen even more. With the slow decline of Tommy Kahnle, it would be nice to see another setup reliever in Detroit.
Main Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
