KANSAS CITY -- The Tigers’ search for impact position talent continued Tuesday, when they claimed outfield prospect Troy Stokes Jr. off waivers from the Brewers.

The 23-year-old Stokes, who was ranked as Milwaukee's No. 20 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was added to Detroit's 40-man roster, but he was not called up to the big league club. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Tigers released left-hander Ryan Carpenter, closing his two-year stint in the organization.

Stokes began the year as the Brewers’ No. 13 prospect, having followed up a 20-homer, 30-steal season in 2017 with a 19-homer, 19-steal campaign at Double-A Biloxi in '18. But after missing most of the first month with injuries, the former fourth-round Draft pick struggled this season at Triple-A San Antonio, batting .233 (75-for-322) with nine home runs, 40 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts. His .341 on-base percentage helped him post a .726 OPS, but the numbers were low in what was a decidedly hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League this season.

The Brewers designated Stokes for assignment on Sunday, the first day of September callups. The Tigers, who had interest in Stokes in trade talks last summer involving veteran players like Jose Iglesias and Mike Fiers, decided to take a flyer.

Carpenter’s tenure ends with a 2-8 record and an 8.57 ERA in 15 games for Detroit. He made nine starts this season, allowing 61 hits over 40 2/3 innings while going 1-6 with a 9.30 ERA. He spent the last month on the injured list at Triple-A Toledo with a left elbow impingement.

While Stokes isn’t headed to the Majors right away, the Tigers will still face a decision with him at season’s end. Nine members of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Tigers Prospects list will be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft if they’re not added to the 40-man roster this offseason, including former first-round picks Beau Burrows and Derek Hill. The club could well end up designating Stokes for assignment and hoping he clears waivers.

Can the Candy Man handle first?

The first Tigers lineup since their latest batch of September callups featured a familiar face on the opposite side of the diamond from his usual spot. Expect to see quite a bit of Jeimer Candelario at first base for the stretch run.

“Candy’s going to play a lot of first base,” manager Ron Gardenhire said.

It’s the continuation of a plan the Tigers were weighing when Candelario went on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 6 with a left thumb sprain. Dawel Lugo’s defensive improvement at third is something the team wants to watch play out. Candelario played some first base in the Cubs' farm system before his trade to the Tigers two years ago.

“It’s not that he’s not going to be a third baseman ever again,” Gardenhire said. “But this gives us a chance to take a look at Lugo and see what he’s got.”

Candelario, who entered Tuesday batting .198 with a .615 OPS with the Tigers this season, has no issue with it. The toughest challenge of the switch, he said, is being ready for throws from all over the field.

“I just want to be in the lineup,” he said. “If I’m playing, I have a good opportunity to help the team win.”

Greiner discusses back injury

Grayson Greiner said he never had a back injury until he took a swing in batting practice during the Tigers-Royals game in Omaha in June. What followed essentially halted his season, and at one point halted him completely.

When a stress reaction in his back halted his rehab assignment in July, Greiner said, he had to wear a back brace for a while to allow the injury to heal. So he had limited mobility in Florida in the middle of the summer.

“It’s not the most fun in the world,” he said.

Though Greiner said the injury was up in his spine, he felt it in his lower back and elsewhere. The condition is known as referred pain, perceived to be at a location other than the actual root of the problem.

After rehabbing some more and strengthening his core area, Greiner was able to resume his rehab assignment last month, eventually landing at Toledo to finish out the Mud Hens' season. Though he was expected to serve as a third catcher as a September callup, he was in Tuesday’s starting lineup while John Hicks battles what Gardenhire called a flu bug and Jake Rogers works on the side.

Quick hits

• Christin Stewart, also recalled from Toledo for Tuesday’s game, will be part of the outfield mix down the stretch. “He’ll have plenty of opportunity in the outfield to swing the bat and see how much he’s improved on his defense,” Gardenhire said. “We know he has to work on that.”