ARLINGTON -- The Tigers lost two veteran pitchers from their young staff Monday, placing starter Jordan Zimmermann and reliever Alex Wilson on the 10-day disabled list with a right shoulder impingement and left plantar fascia strain, respectively.
Zac Reininger was recalled from Triple-A Toledo to fill Wilson's bullpen role. His Mud Hens teammate, infielder Pete Kozma, was also called up, his contract purchased to give the Tigers an extra infielder while Jose Cabrera is on the 10-day DL.
The team will skip Zimmermann's rotation spot until a fifth starter is needed next Tuesday against the Indians, at which point manager Ron Gardenhire said they could turn to their bullpen for a spot. Relievers Blaine Hardy and Warwick Saupold both worked as starters in Toledo recently.
Whichever way the Tigers turn, their already inexperienced pitching staff just got even younger in two areas.
Zimmermann's shoulder impingement is the latest injury in a Tigers tenure that has been hampered by neck and back issues since his first season in Detroit in 2016. It's unclear if the shoulder issue is related. Zimmermann last pitched on Saturday, delivering five scoreless innings, but exiting after 85 pitches, supposedly drained following a bout with the flu.
Either in that game or when he played catch the next day, it flared up.
"He found a spot in there that was hot," Gardenhire said, "And it got to the point where he needed to let it calm down."
Rangers team doctor Keith Meister, who has been dealing with Zimmermann through his neck and back issues, examined Zimmermann on Monday and recommended rest. The Tigers were going to push Zimmermann back to next week anyway, but the DL move gives him a few days beyond that.
Wilson was injured in Monday's 7-6 loss while covering first base on a Ronald Guzman infield single in the sixth inning. Once Guzman was thrown out trying to take second base to end the inning, Wilson walked through the dugout and into the tunnel with head athletic trainer Doug Teter.
"Wilson was throwing really well," Gardenhire said, "And it's really unfortunate. We'll see how this goes in the next couple days with him. He's been doing a really nice job for us."
Reininger, 25, pitched in the Tigers bullpen last September and competed for a bullpen spot back in Spring Training. The former eighth-round pick has had a nice rise to become one of the promising relief prospects in the system. He has saved three games in as many chances in Toledo, allowing 18 hits over 13 2/3 innings, but striking out 15.
The 30-year-old Kozma will make his fourth Major League stop. The former Cardinals shortstop split last season between the Yankees and Rangers before signing a Minor League deal with the Tigers this past offseason.
"It's going to be nice to get Koz up here, because he can pick it," Gardenhire said. "And we need to catch the ball. We'll move him around in the infield and [Niko Goodrum] will be in the outfield and pinch-hit some."