Tigers Announce Kerry Carpenter Update Before Mets Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Xavier Constantino | Last updated May 12, 2026 7:31 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers are in a tight battle for first place in the American League Central, two games back from first place. Injuries, however, have limited their ability to gain an advantage in the league. On May 9, Kerry Carpenter was added to the growing list of Detroit players on the injured list after spraining his left shoulder.

Carpenter, 28, was injured Saturday night when he crashed into the right-field sidewall chasing Bobby Witt Jr.'s inside-the-park home run in Kansas City's 5-1 victory over the Tigers. He stayed in the game after the play in the first inning, but exited the game a couple of innings later.

Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) © Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

On May 10, the team placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list with an AC joint sprain. Before Tuesday’s game against the New York Mets, the Tigers shared that Carpenter is getting back to work and completing rehab daily, but realistically, there's still a long way to go for the right fielder. (h/t Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic)

On the season, Carpenter is batting .216 with six home runs and 17 RBIs. In his last 10 games, Carpenter has a .167 batting average, .231 on-base percentage, .250 slugging with a .481 OPS.

Tigers medical update

— Javy Báez has started a hitting progression
— Beau Brieske, Troy Melton, Connor Seabold on rehab assignment in Triple A
— Casey Mize threw a live BP yesterday
— Will Vest threw a bullpen yesterday

And more: pic.twitter.com/PRV2XJgat9
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) May 12, 2026

It’s a tough stretch for the Tigers right fielder. In his career, he is a .264 hitter with 76 home runs, 210 RBIs, a .299 on-base percentage and .451 slugging percentage in 403 regular-season games since debuting with Detroit in 2022.

In Carpenter's absence, the Tigers selected the contract of Third baseman Gage Workman from Triple-A Toledo. Workman, 26, is batting .358 with four home runs, 28 RBIs and 15 doubles at the Triple-A level this season, numbers that earned him an immediate opportunity with a Tigers lineup that can't afford to stand pat while Carpenter recovers.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: