KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Detroit Tigers aren’t giving up on the idea of centerfielder Parker Meadows making it back this season, but time is fast running out.
“He’s really been going through it,” manager AJ Hinch said.
Meadows suffered a concussion, facial lacerations and a shattered radius in an outfield collision with Riley Greene on April 9. The concussion and lacerations have long healed. The arm remains an issue.
“They are challenging him every couple of days to do a little more and a little more,” Hinch said. “He’s running, throwing, catching the ball. But the swing had not been able to be full speed. It’s the top hand (left) and he’s not able to complete the full aggressive swing. There are still some issues with that.”
Meadows has been doing his work in Lakeland.
“We haven’t run out of time, yet it feels like it’s been forever and we haven’t been able to push him forward and we’re closing in on September,” Hinch said. “And September is going to bring a lot of questions. It is what it is. He’s not able to progress and there is concern about what the next six weeks are about.
“But we have six weeks. So we aren’t going to give up on the season for him.”
In other medical news:
▶Lefty reliever Brant Hurter has been pulled off his rehab assignment.
“We’re pulling him off to assess some of the mound issues he’s dealing with and get him through this step,” Hinch said. “We’re not shutting him down completely. But we need to keep him out of games until we’re sure he’s operating at 100%.”
Hurter, out since May 23, is trying to come back from lumbar spine inflammation. He’s struggled to get back to form. The velocity on his sinker has been 88-89 mph and in four outings with Triple-A Toledo, he’s been tagged for 10 hits and eight runs (seven earned) in 3.1 innings.
“The rules are that he has to sit (out of games) for at least seven days,” Hinch said. “We don’t expect him to stop throwing or completely shut down. But we need to take a mini-step away from pitching this week and get him moving the way he’s supposed to be moving.”
▶Outfielder Riley Greene is expected to return to Detroit Monday to resume his rehab. Out with a right hamstring strain, he’s been doing full baseball activity in Lakeland this past week.
▶Outfielder Kerry Carpenter (plantar fasciitis) is doing his rehab in Lakeland.
“He’s still not doing a ton of baseball activity,” Hinch said. “Hopefully this down time will be enough to clear this hurdle he’s been trying to clear.”
▶Outfielder James Outman (concussion) went 0 for 4 in his first rehab game with Triple-A Toledo.
▶Outfielder Matt Vierling (groin) is doing full baseball activity in Lakeland and is nearing a rehab assignment.
@cmccosky
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tigers not ruling out a Parker Meadows return, but time is running out
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