The Detroit Tigers fell to the Minnesota Twins 4-1 on Friday night, their fifth loss in their last eight games. But ahead of their second game against the Twins, the Tigers made an important roster move to shore up the team’s lineup.
According to Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press on Twitter/X, the Tigers have activated Matt Vierling off the injured list and optioned infielder Trey Sweeney to Triple-A Toledo to make room for him. Vierling, for the first time since May 26th, will slot into the lineup, batting seventh and playing center field.
Trey Sweeney has been optioned to Triple-A Toledo. Matt Vierling has returned from the injured list. #Tigers
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) June 28, 2025
Vierling hasn’t played much for the Tigers this season, appearing in just four games total. He had been dealing with a shoulder issue to begin the year and made his 2025 debut against the Cleveland Guardians. But, after dealing with shoulder inflammation, Vierling went back on the injured list, and sat out another month before finally making to back to the Major Leagues.
In his limited playing time this season, Vierling hit .182 with two RBIs and one strikeout in 11 at-bats. But, back in 2024, Vierling was a key piece in a very fun Tigers season. He hit .257 with 133 hits, 80 runs scored, 28 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs, 57 RBIs, and a solid .735 OPS.
He won’t reach those counting stats this season after missing nearly half of the season, but Vierling should make a positive impact as an outfield option on a team looking to stay atop the American League.
Sweeney, on the other hand, is heading back to the Minor Leagues. In his 70 games played and 57 starts this season, Sweeney batted just .221 with four home runs and 23 RBIs. He notched 45 hits, 27 runs scored while striking out 57 times. His demotion leaves Sweeney with a .594 OPS this season, .048 points lower than his 2024 OPS.
While Sweeney’s demotion is a rough one, it comes alongside the activation of Vierling, who has ingrained himself in the Tigers team since coming from the Philadelphia Phillies in the Gregory Soto trade. Now, with Vierling back in the lineup, the Tigers look to beat the Twins in the second game of a three-game series against a division rival.
