The Tigers are staring down the trade deadline, but their roster picture is getting a little clearer on the injury front - and a little more complicated, too.
Javy Báez and Jackson Jobe are both working their way back, though the timeline for each looks different. Báez is four games into a rehab assignment and has already spent two games with Triple-A Toledo.
On Saturday, he went 3-for-4 with three doubles, a loud enough day that it at least keeps the conversation moving. A.J.
Hinch said Báez still needs more time in Triple-A, but also noted that he’s eager to return.
Javier Baez will start in center field for the Mud Hens today.
A.J. Hinch said he anticipates Baez needing more time on rehab, but if he has another game like yesterday (three doubles), who knows?
The Mud Hens are off tomorrow.
"I don’t know if he’s going to come in (to…
- Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) July 26, 2026
Jobe’s rehab is progressing as well, with the right-hander moving up to Triple-A after his fourth rehab start, his second with Double-A Erie. On Saturday, he threw four innings of one-run ball.
According to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, Jobe will be in Detroit on Monday to check in with the team. His stuff has looked sharp throughout the rehab process, and his fastball was already up over 100 MPH in his first outing back.
There are six games left before the deadline, and Báez could still make it back during that stretch. Jobe, though, seems unlikely to pitch again before Aug. 3, even if he’s close enough to continue building toward a return. The Tigers may be focused on the deadline now, but these two still matter for what comes after it.
Kerry Carpenter is dealing with a heel issue that’s now serious enough to require more evaluation. He was removed from the Tigers’ July 20 game against the Cubs in the 10th inning after an awkward trip to first, and at first there was concern it might be the hamstring trouble that’s followed him in recent years. Hinch later said the problem was a bruised heel.
Carpenter has played in four games since then and even shown a little more life at the plate, but he was taken out after the fourth inning on Sunday against the Royals. Hinch said he had " aggravated his right heel on his last swing" and will undergo further evaluation.
That’s a tough development for a hitter who has already been a drag on the offense this season. Carpenter is hitting .208 with a .692 OPS in 81 games, and in July he’s at .115 with a .279 OPS. The Tigers are still hoping the injury isn’t anything major, but even a brief shutdown could at least give him a chance to reset.
In Other News...
Tigers Fans Wont Like Which Contender Just Entered The Rumor Mill
The Rays are shaping up as one of the more interesting teams to watch as the trade deadline approaches, and not just because they are expected to shop for help. Tampa Bay has been linked to upgrades at catcher, pitching and second base, but the recent rise of players like Cedric Mullins, Chandler Simpson, Nick Fortes and Victor Mesa Jr. has made the front offices job a little less straightforward. A recent win over the Guardians only added to that feeling, with role players continuing to give the club reasons to think twice before making a move.
For a Tigers fan base already bracing for deadline chatter around contenders, Tampa Bay is a team worth keeping an eye on because of the way it can pivot quickly when it senses a chance to improve. The Rays have been mentioned in the same breath as several possible targets, and their willingness to act is never really in doubt. What is less certain is how much their recent stretch of stronger play changes the urgency of those plans, and whether that keeps them in the market longer or pushes them toward a more aggressive swing. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Deadline Pressure Is Suddenly All On Dombrowski
As the trade deadline approaches, the pressure points around the league are becoming clearer, and for front offices trying to thread the needle between now and later, few jobs look more complicated than the ones in Detroit and Philadelphia. The Phillies are trying to keep a contender intact while working around a farm system that has already been thinned out, a familiar kind of deadline problem for a team that wants help without sacrificing too much of what comes next.
Scott Harris is facing a different version of the same challenge in Detroit, where the Tigers have surged since Tarik Skubal returned from surgery to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow. Any deadline conversation around the Tigers now has to account for what that run means, what it says about the rosters direction, and how long Harris can afford to let the decision hang as the clock keeps moving toward Aug. 3. [Read more 🡒]
Javier Baez Is Suddenly Putting Pressure On The Tigers Lineup
Javier Baezs rehab assignment in Triple-A Toledo has started to look a lot more like a player ready to matter again. Working back from an ankle injury, Baez turned in a sharp game for the Mud Hens, going 3-for-4 with three doubles, an RBI and a run scored, a reminder that the bat can still play when hes healthy and in rhythm.
For the Tigers, that matters because the lineup is getting closer to whole with Gleyber Torres back in the mix, and theres still room for another impact bat. Baezs return would give Detroit another option at a time when the offense could use a lift, especially with Kerry Carpenter scuffling through July, but the club also has reason to be careful after keeping Baez out for months. [Read more 🡒]