The Detroit Tigers lost an outfielder to the injured list for the second straight day. The Tigers announced that outfielder James Outman has been placed on the seven-day concussion injured list. Outman got hit by a 94.2 mph fastball from Cleveland Guardians reliever Erik Sabrowski in the seventh inning on his chin. "I asked [Guardians catcher Austin] Hedges on the way by where it actually hit him," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after the 6-4 loss to the Guardians on Wednesday. "And it ricocheted and then hit him, I think, in the chin. I think it might have touched his shoulder first."
Tigers OF James Outman goes on 7-day concussion IL after he took an Erik Sabrowski fastball off his chin (possibly deflected off his shoulder first) last night. Trei Cruz recalled from Triple-A Toledo. pic.twitter.com/JAPXT6aKDq — Jason Beck (@beckjason) August 13, 2026
Outman remained in the game after getting hit. He played the final two innings in left field as part of the replacement plan for All-Star Riley Greene, who hit the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain on Wednesday. He had one more at-bat against Guardians All-Star closer Cade Smith in the ninth inning and struck out swinging on a splitter in the dirt. "It probably feels like he got sucker-punched in the chin," Hinch said Wednesday. Detroit Tigers center fielder James Outman (43) is hit by pitch during the seventh inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.
Detroit recalled outfielder Trei Cruz from Triple-A Toledo to fill his spot. Cruz made a brief appearance for the Tigers in June, appearing in his first two career MLB games. He went 0-for-5 at the plate with three strikeouts while playing in both corner outfield positions. CF LOCKED DOWN: Why Tigers rookie Max Clark had one of the best strikeouts you'll see Cruz, a switch-hitter, was a bench option in Thursday's series finale against the Guardians. Ben Malgeri started in right field. Javier Báez made the first start of his 13-year MLB career in left field in place of Greene. Báez has made previous brief appearances in left, but had never started a game at the position. "Something did happen and some time opened up in left field, so [I] put him out there today," Hinch said pregame. "It will be yet another position that he is starting in his career. I think I have right field, first base and catcher left – no promises on those. But he was all in when I talked to him last night." Contact Jared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers lose another outfielder, this time to concussion