Detroit Tigers RHP Matt Manning suffers right lat strain with Triple-A Toledo
TORONTO — Detroit Tigers right-hander Matt Manning, who has been pitching in Triple-A Toledo since the end of May, has been placed on the minor-league injured list.
He has a right lat strain.
Manning started Sunday for Triple-A Toledo and reported the injury to the Tigers over the big-league All-Star break. He has landed on the injured list in each of the past three seasons.
The 26-year-old has made five starts for the Tigers in the 2024 season, but only two of those starts were as a member of the starting rotation. The first three took place as the 27th player for doubleheaders.
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Manning, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2016 draft who didn't make the Opening Day roster despite a solid spring training, has a 4.88 ERA with 12 walks and 23 strikeouts across 27⅔ innings in his five starts with the Tigers.
He also owns a 4.53 ERA with 22 walks and 60 strikeouts across 59⅔ innings in 12 games (11 starts) for Triple-A Toledo.
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Manning, though, delivered his best stat line in his most recent start Sunday against the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. He allowed one unearned run on one hit and two walks with four strikeouts across six innings, throwing 79 pitches.
It was his second game without an earned run in 2024.
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Manning has been plagued with struggles against left-handed hitters at both levels, with lefties hitting .294 with a .900 OPS this season. (Right-handers hit .220 with a .578 OPS.)
Improving the consistency of his splitter — a new pitch he developed this past offseason in place of his changeup — should help him against left-handers.
He also would benefit from generating more strikeouts.
The Tigers have asked Manning to work on his delivery at the Triple-A Toledo.
Eddys Leonard update
Infielder Eddys Leonard (right hamstring strain), who hasn't played for Triple-A Toledo since June 25, began a rehab assignment Friday with Low-A Lakeland.
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The 23-year-old suffered the hamstring strain while running the bases in a game with the Mud Hens.
This is Leonard's second injury and rehab assignment in the 2024 season. He previously missed six weeks, from April 8-May 20, with a left oblique strain.
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 RHP Matt Manning suffers right lat strain in Triple-A
