Detroit Tigers Wenceel Perez Hits Home Run In 1st At-Bat Off IL

Detroit Tigers Right Fielder Wenceel Perez made an impact in his first at-bat of the season last night, hitting a home run to right field that traveled 351 feet and just got over the right field wall at Comerica Park. The home run happened in Perez’s first at-bat since suffering lower-back inflammation that landed him on the 60-day IL. 

Perez Can Give Tigers a Spark 

The Tigers recently lost Matt Vierling to the injured list, so getting Perez back will be a morale boost for the club. Perez isn’t a gamebreaker, but he can hit the ball. In 112 games last season, Perez recorded a +4 in outs above average. This is a stat that tracks how many outs a player saves compared to a league-average defender in MLB. In this case, Perez was four percent above league average defensively last season. 

The Detroit Tigers don’t need Perez to be more than he is, given they have the best record in the American League. It’s pretty easy to be the best team in the American League when your ace is Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young winner. The Detroit Tigers are also on top of the AL Central division by five games over the Minnesota Twins. 

The Detroit Tigers Are One Of the League’s Best Teams

The Detroit Tigers are one of the best all-around teams in the league. They have a mixture of great pitching and good hitters. Reece Olson, Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Jackson Jobe, and Casey Mize make up a versatile rotation. Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter, and many more round out a solid lineup for Detroit. 

Detroit’s biggest strength is its ability to play a complete team game and secure wins. They don’t have any bonafide superstars on the team besides Skubal, but they have solid players who can get the job done, especially on the offensive side.

That’s why a player like Perez is so important to their team because he embodies their identity. The late 2010’s version of the Tigers being bad and drafting high seems to be paying off, as last season they made their first postseason appearance since 2014. They seem well on their way to making the playoffs for a second straight season.