The injured members of the Detroit Tigers gathered together for a watch party for the season opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows, two of the Tigers' everyday options who started the season on the injured list, invited the other players rehabbing to their house in Lakeland for steaks and pizza and watched the Tigers' 5-4 loss to the Dodgers in the first game of the season.
"We are watching the boys play every night," Vierling said. "Parker and I were living together down in Lakeland, staying up and watching the games. We had a little party for Opening Day. (Alex) Cobb was there, (José ) Urquidy and Wenceel (Pérez) and everybody."
Vierling, Meadows, Cobb and reliever Alex Lange were the injured Tigers members were back in Detroit, in the locker room at Comerica Park, ahead of Friday's home opener against the Chicago White Sox.
Vierling, who suffered a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder during spring training, says he is progressing through his rehab assignments. He is going through all workouts besides throwing; he has completed work in the batting cage but has not faced live batting practice yet.
"(I am) doing everything but throwing," Vierling said. "Six weeks is coming up soon. I will re-evaluate then with doctors and the training staff and we'll hopefully move forward from there. But, everything is going good, everything is progressing well."
Meadows was placed on the 60-day injured list right before the season. The center fielder suffered an injury to the musculocutaneous nerve in his right bicep during the first spring training game on a throw. Meadows will be on the injured list until at least May 26.
He is still not cleared to throw. He is going through strength training every other day and running every day during his recovery process. He will see a specialist in two weeks to assess his progress.
"It's definitely tough and frustrating just because there's nothing really to do to speed up the process," Meadows said. "Nerves work slowly so just being patient with it and coming in every day with a positive mindset."
