Tigers Slugger Faces Uncertainty After Injury Forces Early Exit Sunday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 12:00 AM ET

Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter is heading for the MRI tube on Monday morning. He was forced to exit Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury. After hitting an RBI triple in the bottom of the fifth inning, Carpenter grimaced in pain while rounding the bases and quickly left the game.

“I’ll get an MRI tomorrow,” Carpenter told reporters after the Tigers' Sunday night win over the Twins. “The staff here has done a great job of getting me back pretty quickly, so we’ll see how it goes. But I think we’re all pretty optimistic about it.”

While the injury is concerning, Carpenter’s optimistic outlook offers some hope for a quick recovery. Before the injury, Carpenter had been on a tear, continuing his strong recent performance. He gave the Tigers an early lead with a solo home run to right-center field, his second consecutive game with a homer and his third in the past five games.

In addition to his home run, Carpenter had gone 2-for-4 in Saturday’s 10-4 win and was 2-for-3 before leaving Sunday’s game.

As of June 29, he holds a .252 batting average with 16 home runs and 32 RBIs. His .515 slugging percentage and .341 expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) highlight his ability to drive the ball effectively. Statcast data further underscores his offensive prowess, with an average exit velocity of 91 mph, a hard-hit rate of 45.3%, and a barrel percentage of 13.3%.

If Carpenter has to miss time, the Tigers are likely to turn to Wenceel Perez in right field.

For now, the team remains hopeful that the MRI results will show no serious damage, and Carpenter can return to the lineup sooner rather than later.

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

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