Tigers lose Eduardo Rodriguez and Riley Greene on dispiriting Tuesday

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This article was published 30/05/2023 (892 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers might have lost their best pitcher and their best hitter Tuesday.

Hours after starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez went on the 15-day disabled list because of a ruptured pulley in his left index finger, centerfielder Riley Greene came out of the game in the third inning.

“He told us in the first inning that he had some discomfort in his lower left leg, but he wanted to stay in the game,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after a 10-6 loss to the Texas Rangers. “When I saw the way he was running after a fly ball in the third, I knew I needed to get him out of the game.”

Greene is hitting .294 in his second season and leads the team with 60 hits and 29 runs.

“We sent him to get all the scans,” Hinch said. “We will know more going forward.”

With outfielder Matt Vierling (back) going on the injured list Tuesday, the Tigers will activate Jake Marisnick, who they acquired earlier in the day from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for cash considerations.

Marisnick played for Hinch with the Astros from 2015-19, winning the World Series in 2017 although injuries kept him off the postseason roster. He played nine games for the White Sox, mostly as a defensive replacement, before being designated for assignment.

“Obviously, we made that move before Riley got hurt, but he’ll be here tomorrow and we will activate him,” Hinch said.

The Tigers will have a longer wait for news about Rodriguez, who sustained the injury in Sunday’s win over the Chicago White Sox. A ruptured pulley is more common with rock climbers than pitchers, so the Tigers don’t have a timeline for his return.

“I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know,” Hinch said before the game. “It is in his finger, and it was an issue on one of his last pitches.

“We’ll continue to get him healthy and hope it is a quick return.”

Rodriguez is 4-4 in 11 starts with a 2.13 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings. He will be evaluated in a week to 10 days to determine when a throwing program can begin.

Detroit has three other starting pitchers on the injured list. Matt Manning (foot) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and Tarik Skubal (elbow) threw live batting practice. They could return in July, although Hinch said Skubal is ahead of Manning in terms of a possible rehab assignment.

Casey Mize (elbow) could return late in the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer.

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