This has not been the kind of season that the Detroit Tigers envisioned, both in terms of their record and in terms of their health. Multiple players have missed considerable time so far in 2026, not the least of which have been starting pitchers Tarik Skubal and Justin Verlander.
Meanwhile, they’ve also been without the services of infielder Gleyber Torres, who missed most of the month of May with a left oblique strain. Unfortunately, he’s right back on the Injured list with the same ailment.
Needless to say, this kind of stuff is getting old for the Tigers, who won only six games last month and are back to struggling after a hot start in June.
Detroit Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch Admitted To Being At A Loss
After the news of the latest injury to Torres was confirmed, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch admitted on Wednesday that he is “at a loss” as to why his club is experiencing so many injuries to key players.
“We need to win the series today (Wednesday) and get home for a really important, long homestand,” Hinch said. “Our reality is what it is. We can’t pout about it or dwell on it. We’re happy to get Casey back, but at the same time it’s a challenge to lose a bat the caliber of Gleyber Torres. I’m at a loss to describe (all the injuries), but we can’t be lost trying to deal with it.”
Unfortunately for the Tigers, they did not win the series against the Astros, who took two of three from them while outscoring them 8-4 after what was initially a 9-3 Detroit win in the series opener.
As far as what specifically is ailing Torres, Hinch confirmed that it’s a “new” injury but in the same region of the body.
“It’s a new injury in the same region,” Hinch said. “It’s all related in there. But it’s frustrating for him and for us that that area continues to be an issue for him. I don’t know the extent of it in terms of a timeline or length.”
The Tigers Have No Choice But To Press Onward
This certainly isn’t how the Tigers envisioned things going this season, especially after having qualified for the postseason in 2024 and 2025.
They had their sights trained on bigger and better things in 2026, but that hasn’t been the case. Nevertheless, they have no choice but to press onward while attempting to climb back into the postseason race.
“The team knows, and we feel it,” Hinch said of Detroit’s struggles. “No doubt it’s a tiring broken record. But we can’t dwell on it because it’s not changing. The lineup we have is the group we’re going with now. We’d love to have everybody be at full strength and we’re not. The guys that are here need to step up.”
The Tigers will now prepare for three straight home series at Comerica Park, which begins on Friday when they face the divisional rival Chicago White Sox for a three-game set. They’ll next welcome the New York Yankees for three games, followed by a four-game set against the Astros.
Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch Delivers Honest Admission Amidst Struggles