The Tigers are expected to call up Trei Cruz from Triple-A Toledo before Friday’s game, a three crosses move that puts a 27-year-old utility player on the major league roster. Wenceel Perez is expected to go on the injured list after Tuesday night’s freak accident in his postgame workout.
Trei Cruz adds roster flexibility
Cruz is a switch-hitting utility player, and the move gives the Tigers another option after Perez’s injury forced a change. Cruz was a third-round pick in 2020 and had impressed this spring, which kept his name in the mix even after he missed some time last month with an injury.
At Triple-A Toledo, he posted a.326 on-base percentage and a.660 OPS. That line is modest by the numbers, but it still shows why the Tigers are moving him up now rather than waiting for a cleaner roster opening.
Wenceel Perez leaves the roster
Perez’s exit is tied to a freak accident on Tuesday night, when a resistance band he was using snapped off its hook and hit him below his left eye during his postgame workout. The injury is the reason the Tigers need to replace him, and Cruz is the player expected to take that spot.
For Detroit, the move is immediate. The roster changes before Friday’s game, and Cruz’s callup answers the practical question facing the Tigers now: who fills the opening created by Perez’s injury. Cruz gets the chance, and the Tigers keep their bench moving without waiting for a longer shuffle.
