Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Pérez exited the game after the fourth inning Saturday, Aug. 9, against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park.
Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Pérez exited after the fourth inning Saturday, Aug. 9, against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park.
The 25-year-old felt pain after a foul ball hit his right foot in the second inning. The good news: He is expected to avoid the injured list after X-rays and an MRI came back negative.
It appears to be just a bruise.
"I think it's all fine," Pérez said after Saturday's 7-4 loss. "I was not able to give my 100% because I was trying to not put so much pressure on my foot. I wasn't able to do the right things in the game. That's why I came out."
Celebrate 125 epic seasons of the Tigers with our new book!
Pérez could return to the Tigers' lineup as soon as Sunday, Aug. 10, in the series finale against the Angels, but either way, he plans to receive treatment before Sunday's game.
He felt the pain in his right foot during his pre-pitch movements in center field.
It didn't hurt while running the bases.
"After I hit the triple, after I came back to the dugout, the pain was just getting worse, and it was getting swollen," Pérez said. "I was feeling uncomfortable when I was putting pressure on it, so I wasn't able to stay in the game."
[ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
In the second inning, Pérez fouled a fourth-pitch slider from Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi off his right foot, then ripped a sixth-pitch slider to left field for a triple.
Pérez didn't come out of the game until after the fourth inning. To replace him, the Tigers brought Zach McKinstry off the bench to play shortstop, then moved Javier Báez from shortstop to center field.
Pérez finished Saturday 2-for-2 with a single and a triple.
He is hitting .267 with nine home runs, 14 walks and 41 strikeouts across 58 games this season, including .424 (14-for-33) with three walks and four strikeouts in his past 10 games.
"It's all good," Pérez said. "It's just a bruise."
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers: Wenceel Pérez exits game vs. Angels with foot injury
Category: Baseball