MINNEAPOLIS — For the first time all season, the Detroit Tigers got some good news on the injury front.
They actually have a player coming back.
Second baseman Gleyber Torres has returned from the injured list and will start at second base Friday night against the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers optioned Brewer Hicklen to Triple-A Toledo to make room on the roster for Torres.
Torres, who has been out with an oblique strain, did not require a rehab stint in the minors.
“I mean 10 games (off), we really believe it's not too much,” Torres said. “I'm glad to (be) back quickly.”
Torres has been on the IL since the second game of the season when he injured his side hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But his return does complicate what the Tigers do at first and second base.
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With Torres on the injured list, Colt Keith returned to second base — his position last year as a rookie. This season, though, he has struggled defensively there, picking up three errors.
On Friday night, Spencer Torkelson will play first and Keith will be used as the designated hitter.
“Then we'll figure it out day to day,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said before Friday's game. “I don't really need to commit any further than I have to.”
Hinch said he has a loose plan on how he will use several players who are all intertwined: He is going to ramp up Torres slowly playing him at second and designated hitter; Keith will play second, first and designated hitter; Torkelson will play first and designated hitter; and Justyn-Henry Malloy will be a designated hitter, play a little bit of first and have some outfield time sprinkled in.
“It's just a puzzle to put together every day to try to win that game,” Hinch said. “So it’s a good problem to have.”
