Kerry Carpenter's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (back) will be reinstated from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday before the team's game against the visiting Seattle Mariners, according to manager A.J. Hinch. Fantasy managers may not want to expect too much, too quickly from Carpenter, as he's been away from the big-league team since late May due to a lumbar spine stress fracture. The 26-year-old went 3-for-14 with a double, five strikeouts and a walk in four minor-league rehab games with Triple-A Toledo. Expect frequent rest days initially, but by the end of the season, the hope is that Carpenter will be an everyday outfielder for Detroit. He's at least worth a waiver-wire consideration in deep-mixed leagues if he's out there, as he was hitting .283/.342/.572 with a .914 OPS, eight homers and 29 RBI in 145 at-bats at the time of his injury earlier in 2024.UPDATE: Carpenter is serving as the designated hitter and is batting second in his return against Mariners right-hander George Kirby.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (back) began his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Tuesday. He started at designated hitter for the Mud Hens and batted second in the order on Tuesday. Recovering on the 60-day injured list since May 29, Carpenter is in the final stages of working his way back from a lumbar spine stress fracture and should be back with the Tigers at some point in early to mid-August. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting slugger is slashing a robust .283/.342/.572 with eight home runs, 10 doubles, four triples, and 29 RBI across 163 plate appearances (50 games) as Detroit's primary right fielder this year. With strong four-category upside, he remains worth stashing in most fantasy leagues.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (back) was seen running the bases on Thursday, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. This is typically the final step before embarking on a rehab assignment. Carpenter has been sidelined since May stress fracture in his spine. Prior to the injury, the 26-year-old held a strong .283/.342/.572 line with eight home runs. Given how much time the Virginia Tech product has missed, he should be expected to embark on an extended rehab stint. When he returns, Carpenter should be the favorite to see the majority of opportunities in right field. In the meantime, Wenceel Perez and Justyn-Henry Malloy should continue to see most of the starts.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (back) is getting close to heading out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Carpenter did a regular workout on the field at Comerica Park ahead of Friday's game against the visiting division-rival Minnesota Twins, participating in running, hitting, and fielding drills in his rehab from a lumbar spine stress fracture. There was initial optimism he could get activated off the injured list before the end of July, but Carpenter previously experienced a setback while running. His move to the 60-day injured list last week doesn't affect his timeline for a return, but Carpenter likely won't be back with the Tigers until sometime in mid-to-late August at this point. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting slugger was slashing a potent .283/.342/.572 with eight home runs, 10 doubles, four triples, and 29 RBI through 163 plate appearances (50 games) as Detroit's primary right fielder and remains worth stashing in most fantasy leagues.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (back), who hasn't played in a game in nearly two months due to a lumbar spine stress fracture, doesn't have a timetable for his return but is hoping to be close to ready for a long-awaited minor-league rehab assignment by the end of July. The 26-year-old appeared to be on track to return to the Tigers in late July, but he experienced discomfort in his lower back while running at the end of June. It's been disappointing for Carpenter, but he's pretty confident he'll be back this year. He was hitting .283 with eight home runs and a .914 OPS before his injury and was especially useful against right-handers, hitting .310 with a 1.004 OPS against them. When he gets closer to his return to the big leagues, fantasy managers in mixed leagues will want to consider picking him up off the waiver wire if he's available.