Mercer (right quad) back on IL; Stewart called up

DETROIT -- The Tigers were planning on having left fielder Christin Stewart back from the injured list Friday night in Minnesota. Jordy Mercer’s recurring right quad strain forced them to change their plans.

“He’s got some swelling in his thigh, and we decided to try to figure out what’s going on,” manager Ron Gardenhire said of Mercer, who was placed back on the 10-day injured list Thursday morning. “He’s just hurting.”

An MRI showed inflammation but no serious damage. Still, the Tigers want to clear up the issue once and for all.

Mercer spent 16 days on the injured list from April 14-30. This is a recurrence of the injury, Gardenhire said, but it also has some new symptoms that had them concerned.

“Now it’s to the point where there’s pain involved,” Gardenhire said. “We have to back him off.”

With that decision, the Tigers moved up Stewart’s travel itinerary, putting him on a 6 a.m. flight from Florida to Detroit. It was his third such flight this week, having flown to Detroit and back to Florida on Tuesday for evaluation after playing five games of a Minor League rehab assignment for Class A Lakeland.

“Long morning, but I’m here now and excited to be back with the team,” Stewart said. “I felt good down there. I’m just trying to bring it up here as I start working my way back in the lineup.”

Stewart, rehabbing from a right quad strain, went 0-for-4 Wednesday night for the Flying Tigers. The Tigers had sent him back to Lakeland on Tuesday to continue his rehab assignment because of the forecast for cool, rainy weather in Detroit. But with Mercer sidelined, the Tigers wanted Stewart’s bat available off the bench. Stewart is Detroit's No. 8 prospect, per MLB Pipeline.

Mercer’s injury at least temporarily solves Gardenhire’s conundrum about finding at-bats for Ronny Rodríguez and Niko Goodrum once Stewart and second baseman Josh Harrison return. Rodriguez, who has been playing a lot of second base in Harrison’s absence, fell a home run shy of the cycle in Wednesday night's 10-3 win over the Angels. Goodrum, who has become Detroit’s everyday cleanup hitter, has been playing left field regularly in Stewart’s absence. He’ll go back to bouncing around the infield and DH while getting regular at-bats.

Tigers weigh options for spot start Saturday
The Tigers recalled lefty Ryan Carpenter from Triple-A Toledo on Thursday morning, returning their rotation to the standard five pitchers. They’ll still need another starter for Saturday’s doubleheader at Minnesota, and lefty prospect Gregory Soto is in line for the call. Soto, currently in the prospect-laden rotation at Double-A Erie, is expected to be called up as the 26th man for the second game of the doubleheader.

Tom Reisenweber of the Erie Times-News first reported Thursday afternoon that Soto is getting called up to Detroit.

Gardenhire said after Thursday’s 13-0 loss that he hasn’t been told anything in regards to a move.

Spencer Turnbull is slated to start Game 1 on Saturday. The Tigers will use the 26th roster spot they get for the doubleheader to call up another starter for the nightcap, making it a spot start.

The Tigers have two Minor League starters available on their 40-man roster. Left-hander Matt Hall, who was a September callup as a reliever last year, is on turn to start Saturday for Triple-A Toledo, having last pitched on Sunday. Hall, the Tigers’ 28th-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, is 2-0 with a 6.41 ERA in four starts and two relief appearances for the Mud Hens, but he has racked up 34 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings, including nine over 6 1/3 quality innings Sunday.

Soto last pitched Tuesday for Erie, but he was pulled after three scoreless innings and 47 pitches. He was not injured. Though the Tigers’ 26th-ranked prospect has made just three appearances above Class A ball, he has a 2.03 ERA for the SeaWolves to go with 12 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings.

One idea that is not under consideration, according to Gardenhire, is an opener. Though Gardenhire isn’t dead-set against the concept, the idea of using an opener on a doubleheader day would put too much of a workload on the bullpen.

Fernandez optioned to Toledo
To make room for Carpenter on the 25-man roster, the Tigers optioned reliever Jose Manuel Fernandez to Triple-A Toledo. The hard-throwing lefty gave up eight runs (seven earned) on six hits over 3 2/3 innings in four appearances, walking five and striking out two.

“It’s all about pace with him,” Gardenhire said. “He threw the ball decent. In the Minor Leagues, he’s down there just whipping it, and that’s what we saw in Spring Training. He was a little bit slow up here.”

After Thursday’s loss, the Tigers optioned right-hander Zac Reininger to Toledo. The 26-year-old allowed 11 runs on 17 hits over 6 2/3 innings, including three runs Thursday. The Tigers will have a corresponding move before Friday’s series opener in Minnesota.