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Detroit Tigers reliever Alex Faedo lands on injured list with right hip inflammation

ARLINGTON, Texas — Thankfully, Detroit Tigers right-handed reliever Mason Englert didn't leave Texas.

Englert didn't report to Globe Life Field on Tuesday because the Tigers optioned him to Triple-A Toledo after Monday's game to create room for reliever Shelby Miller's return from the injured list. He visited his parents, who live in Forney, Texas, on Tuesday, and he was supposed to get on a plane Wednesday morning to meet the Mud Hens. But the Tigers called and told him to report to Globe Life Field for Wednesday's series finale against the Texas Rangers.

"It's bittersweet," Englert said.

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The Tigers recalled Englert before Wednesday's game because right-handed reliever Alex Faedo landed on the 15-day injured list with right hip inflammation. It's the same hip that Faedo underwent surgery on for variety of repairs in 2022.

"I think it's concerning anytime you have to put a guy on an injured list and him not being active," manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday. "Until the doctors physically see him, we'll get all the tests done, it's just a guess at this point."

Tigers pitcher Alex Faedo throws in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Tigers' 3-1 win on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.
Tigers pitcher Alex Faedo throws in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Tigers' 3-1 win on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.

After Tuesday's 3-1 win, Faedo reported soreness that he's been battling on and off this season. He threw 44 pitches, walked three batters and had two wild pitches in Tuesday's game, but beforehand, he hadn't walked more than one batter in a single appearance this season.

Something was wrong against the Rangers.

"You could see him misfire a lot of balls," Hinch said. "He threw a couple balls to the backstop. He yanked a couple balls. He was compensating for the pain he was dealing with. We got him checked out here. We're going to get further tests on him. It was apparent after playing catch today that he could go."

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Faedo has a 3.38 ERA with 13 walks and 29 strikeouts across 34⅔ innings in 21 relief appearances. His 30.6% whiff rate ranked first among the eight active relievers in the bullpen before he landed on the injured list.

As for Englert, he was a Tiger on Monday, a Mud Hen on Tuesday and a Tiger again on Wednesday. The 24-year-old has a 4.50 ERA with one walk and five strikeouts across six innings in four games with the Tigers this season.

Englert has a 24.5% whiff rate.

"We hurried (Englert) back here to play catch and get a normal acclimation day," Hinch said. "Faedo will get more tests when we get back to Detroit tomorrow on the off day, and we'll update you when we can."

Jack Flaherty remains optimistic

Right-hander Jack Flaherty exited Tuesday's start with back tightness after throwing 60 pitches across five scoreless innings.

After the game, the 28-year-old said he expected to make his next start, but he wanted to evaluate how he felt when he woke up Wednesday's morning.

"I'm sure I'll be good for the next one," Flaherty said Tuesday. "It weirdly works out, but I got two extra days. I'm not going for another week with the two off days. We'll see how I wake up tomorrow, but I feel pretty good about it."

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As of Wednesday afternoon, Flaherty is still dealing with some stiffness in his back, but he said he feels "better than I did yesterday" and remains confident that he will make his next start, scheduled for Tuesday against the Washington Nationals at Comerica Park.

But Hinch didn't sound as optimistic, only because Flaherty has several boxes to check — such as a bullpen session — before he's cleared to make his next start.

"It's really early," Hinch said. "We'll see how the next few days play out. As a starter, it's much less time sensitive. We'll get him through. We also have a couple off days we can play with and see where it goes, but obviously, I believe the player when he says that he feels good about what's ahead, but we'll need to see him get off the mound and do more pitcher things to make sure that he can make the start whenever we need him."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers Alex Faedo (hip) to injured list; Jack Flaherty update