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Parker Meadows injury update: Detroit Tigers center fielder 'not close to games right now'
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- Parker Meadows injury update: Detroit Tigers center fielder 'not close to games right now'
LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows has been shut down from baseball activities for nearly three weeks with a right upper arm nerve issue. He could be ruled out for Opening Day if he doesn't return in the next few days.
The 25-year-old revealed the exact nerve that's keeping him off the field.
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"It's the musculocutaneous nerve," Meadows said.
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The musculocutaneous nerve, which is located in the upper arm, needs to reactivate for Meadows to return to baseball activities , but the nerve hasn't sparked yet. Therefore, Meadows hasn't been cleared to throw, and if he can't throw, he can't play.
"Still a little numb on the forearm, but I think it's definitely tolerable," Meadows said Wednesday morning. "Might be something I have to fight through because the strength is still there."
Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows bats during spring training at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.
The Tigers have prescribed Meadows to complete light modified baseball activities — increased conditioning and non-throwing defensive drills, plus some one-handed swings — as part of his rehabilitation process.
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Meadows shared he has been hitting recently.
"I've been hitting, and I've been doing some glove work," Meadows said. "Throwing has been a little delayed."
Manager A.J. Hinch clarified.
Meadows isn't swinging the bat at full speed.
And he isn't close to playing in spring training games because the nerve hasn't woken up.
"No, he's not full go," Hinch said before Wednesday's game. "He's just making incremental steps, whatever that means. And he's not ready for games. He's not close to games right now, but that can change as soon as soon as we shake this nerve up, wake it up. Things are better than they were, but still not full go."
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Meadows hit .244 with nine home runs, 25 walks and 76 strikeouts across 82 games in the 2024 season, including hitting .299 with seven homers and an .857 OPS in his final 50 games after changing his swing mechanics in Triple-A Toledo.
In 2024, the Tigers had a 31-11 record in games when Meadows recorded a hit.
The Tigers have three center fielders on the injury report in spring training, with just 15 days until Opening Day: Meadows (musculocutaneous nerve issue), Matt Vierling (right shoulder strain) and Wenceel Pérez (low back tightness). Vierling has been ruled out for the start of the season , Meadows hasn't played since Feb. 22, and Pérez hasn't played since March 2.
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Does Meadows think he will be ready for Opening Day on March 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers ?
"I think so, yeah," Meadows said. "I've been doing some light baseball activity. I mean, I'm in the best hands in the world. I'm still optimistic, for sure."
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Wenceel Pérez scratched
One of the injured outfielders was supposed to return for Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays , but the Tigers scratched Pérez from starting in center field. The 25-year-old won't play Wednesday and might not play in Thursday's game.
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He hasn't played in one and a half weeks.
"I wouldn't even call it a setback," Hinch said.
Pérez took swings in right-hander Reese Olson 's live batting practice session on Tuesday, but he still isn't ready to return from low back tightness. He has dealt with back injuries multiple times over the past three years.
"He does have some residual soreness," Hinch said, "so given where we're at in the spring, given where we're at with our roster, we're being uber cautious."
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After scratching Pérez, a spot opened up for left fielder Riley Greene to start in center field for Wednesday's game, doing so for the first time in spring training. The Tigers don't want to use Greene as the primary center fielder during the regular season.
In 2024, Greene made just 21 of his 104 starts on defense in center field.
Playing center field requires more running, which increases the risk of leg injuries. That's why the Tigers prefer him in left field. He dealt with leg injuries in each of the past two seasons.
"I talked to Riley a while back about sprinkling in some reads," Hinch said. "When Parker went down, that's the first question that I was going to get. As spots have opened up, there's going to be an in-game move that pushes him to center."
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Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Parker Meadows injury update: Detroit Tigers share latest timeline
