Detroit Tigers' Colt Keith sidelined with left hamstring soreness, considered day-to-day

Detroit Tigers second baseman Colt Keith planned to play in Friday's game against the New York Yankees at Comerica Park in a matchup with right-hander Gerrit Cole.

Then, the hamstring cramps set in.

Keith won't play in Friday's series opener because he's "a little banged up," according to manager A.J. Hinch. Keith, who celebrated his 23rd birthday Wednesday, shared he dealt with cramps throughout the night after Thursday's game.

"I woke up today really sore," Keith said. "I think it was just a smart decision between me and the medical staff to give it an extra couple of hours or a couple of days."

He is considered day-to-day with left hamstring soreness.

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Keith is hitting .249 with 11 home runs, 28 walks and 74 strikeouts across 111 games in the 2024 season, his rookie campaign. He has a .200 batting average with a .439 OPS in his active 16-game stretch without a home run, dating back to July 28.

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Zach McKinstry survives

Before Friday's game, the Tigers called up Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney, a pair of left-handed hitting infielders, from Triple-A Toledo. To create room for them, the Tigers designated for assignment third baseman Gio Urshela and left-handed reliever Easton Lucas.

The Tigers also optioned outfielder Akil Baddoo to Toledo on his 26th birthday. From the offense, the Tigers dumped a right-handed hitter and a left-handed hitter in exchange for two left-handed hitters.

Zach McKinstry, a left-handed hitting utility player, survived the roster moves, despite hitting .191 with a .251 on-base percentage in 84 games this season. The 29-year-old, who doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, can play both infield and outfield, but the Tigers are now loaded with left-handed hitters and have another shortstop on the roster in Sweeney.

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"He's been in the super utility role, and it's going to be the same role," Hinch said of McKinstry. "He's done a little bit more outfield in recent days, and he'll continue to do that. He'll move around a little bit. We've gotten very left-handed, so we'll see where the playing time divvies up. It's going to impact a lot of guys that have been moved around, whether it's second base, shortstop, third base."

McKinstry started at second base — in place of Keith — Friday.

Riley Greene, Casey Mize updates

Outfielder Riley Greene (right hamstring strain) played the first game of his rehab assignment Thursday with Toledo, finishing 0-for-3 with one strikeout while playing left field.

The 23-year-old will play again Saturday, scheduled for six to seven innings in the outfield. Typically, the Tigers want players to participate in back-to-back rehab games before getting activated. If that's still the case, Greene would play again Sunday with the Mud Hens.

Greene hasn't played for the Tigers since July 25.

Right-hander Casey Mize (left hamstring strain), who isn't eligible to return to the Tigers until Aug. 30, will make his next rehab start Sunday with Toledo. He has already completed two of four rehab starts, throwing 5⅔ scoreless innings with two walks and five strikeouts across 5⅔ innings.

Mize threw 35 pitches and 2⅓ innings in his first rehab start, then 50 pitches and 3⅓ innings in his second rehab start. He walked one batter in each start.

Other medical updates

∙ Right-handed reliever Brendan White (right radial nerve injury) is receiving a hydrodissection procedure Tuesday. He has been dealing with arm injuries for the entire season, dating back to spring training. For most of the season, White has been diagnosed with a forearm injury, but his situation relates to the radial nerve.

∙ Right-hander Reese Olson (right shoulder strain) continues to progress the volume and distance of his flat-ground throwing. He has not thrown a bullpen yet.

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' Colt Keith injury: Sidelined with left hamstring