Detroit Tigers infielder Ryan Kreidler — a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft with 102 plate appearances in his MLB career — has been sidelined with another injury, and for the second straight season, he needed surgery.
The 25-year-old underwent a core muscle surgery June 6 and is expected to miss approximately six weeks.
He has a .165 batting average in his 37-game career in the big leagues.
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Kreidler earned a spot on the Tigers’ Opening Day roster coming out of spring training but was optioned to Triple-A Toledo in mid-April after competing in 11 games, hitting .111 with zero walks and seven strikeouts.
He experienced knee soreness with Triple-A Toledo, then suffered a core muscle strain while on a rehab assignment with High-A West Michigan. He played his final rehab game May 31 and went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.
Six days later, Kreidler underwent his second surgery in as many seasons.
In the 2022 season, Kreidler fractured the fifth metacarpal on his right hand in late April and needed a surgical fix. After recovering, he was sidelined in June and July with a groin strain. Those injured limited Kreidler to 86 games between the majors and minors last season.
Kreidler, a right-handed hitter, is batting .255 with three home runs, six walks and 18 strikeouts across 13 games in the minor leagues this season. He has played eight games with Triple-A Toledo and five games with High-A West Michigan.
Jackson Jobe update
Right-hander Jackson Jobe, the Tigers’ top pitching prospect, is making progress in his recovery from lumbar spine inflammation. The inflammation flared up during spring training, so Jobe hasn’t pitched in an affiliated game yet.
The 20-year-old — the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft who signed for a $6.9 million bonus — has thrown live batting practice sessions in Lakeland, a key step in his return to games.
He is the Tigers’ No. 3 prospect in the farm system, according to MLB Pipeline.
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As a first-year professional, Jobe posted a 3.84 ERA with 30 walks and 81 strikeouts in 77⅓ innings for Low-A Lakeland (18 starts) and High-A West Michigan (three starts) in the 2022 season.
For the Whitecaps, Jobe had a 1.15 ERA with five walks and 10 strikeouts in 15⅔ innings.
He turns 21 in late July.
Two other pitching prospect updates: Right-hander Dylan Smith (right forearm strain) will reintroduce plyometric exercises this week as he continues physical therapy, while right-hander Tanner Kohlhepp (right elbow sprain) is throwing live batting practice sessions in Lakeland.
Tommy John surgeries
A handful of players either recently underwent Tommy John surgery or are scheduled for Tommy John surgery: right-hander Kervin Castro, left-hander Miguel Del Pozo, righty Aaron Haase, righty Trevor Rosenthal and catcher Eduardo Valencia.
The most notable pitcher is Rosenthal.
The former All-Star closer will undergo an ulnar collateral ligament repair in his right elbow for the second time in his career. He previously underwent Tommy John surgery in 2017 and thoracic outlet surgery in 2021.
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Rosenthal, 33, signed a minor-league contract in March with the Tigers. In 2023, he pitched one game in spring training, two games in Triple-A Toledo before experiencing arm soreness and one game in Low-A Lakeland as part of a rehab assignment.
He has pitched 373 games in his eight-year MLB career.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.