LAKELAND, FL – Matt Vierling isn’t playing third base, but he is doing everything else for the Detroit Tigers in spring training – making smart swing decisions, playing all three outfield positions and, most importantly, showing a healthy throwing arm in right field.
He looks like himself again.
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It’s shaping up to be a comeback season in 2026.
“He’s a huge addition for us – or re-addition for us,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “I think missing him last year was very underrated.”
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Detroit Tigers outfielder Matt Vierling practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
A right shoulder injury derailed Vierling’s momentum in the 2025 season, limiting him to just 31 games. There were several starts and stops along the way, beginning when he noticed discomfort in his shoulder during the early days of spring training.
It turned out to be a strained rotator cuff.
Vierling dealt with the right shoulder strain for the first three months of the season, then missed the final two months with a left oblique strain.
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“I hate being hurt,” Vierling said. “I don’t do great with it. I don’t know if I’ll ever be good at it. The competitor in me wants to play, but I’ve learned to take your time with things.”
He learned three lessons while sidelined with injuries.
The first two: patience and preparation.
“Preparation is the biggest thing,” Vierling said. “I got to spend more time in the weight room … just so that, hopefully, when June or July comes around, that pays off.”
The third lesson?
“It sucks to be hurt,” Vierling said.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Detroit Tigers right fielder Matt Vierling (8) signs autographs before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Detroit Tigers right fielder Matt Vierling (8) signs autographs before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Bryan Sammons (64) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Detroit Tigers first baseman Jace Jung (17) slips safely into second base in front of Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Davis Schneider (36) in the second inning during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Addison Barger (47) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers in the second inning during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Bryan Sammons (64) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Johan Simon (91) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Detroit Tigers shortstop Trei Cruz (40) singles against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tyler Mattison (55) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
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Detroit Tigers fall, 5-0, to Toronto Blue Jays in spring training
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Spencer Miles (62) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the eighth inning during spring training at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
Back in 2024, Vierling put together a career-best season.
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Among Tigers, he ranked second in games, second in plate appearances, third in hits and second in runs, along with first in doubles and third in home runs. Beyond the stats, he emerged as a team leader as the Tigers snapped a decade-long postseason drought.
Everything came crashing down in 2025.
Limited to 31 games, Vierling hit .239 with one home run, seven walks and 24 strikeouts, posting a career-worst .617 OPS. He posted minus-2 defensive runs saved across 203 innings in the outfield.
“It was underrated how much we missed him,” Hinch said. “Overall, being healthy and having a normal spring to this point is another reminder that we missed this guy. He could’ve easily done more for us if health had been on his side.”
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This spring, Vierling is hitting .333 (9-for-27) with one home run, two walks and two strikeouts across 10 games, spanning 29 plate appearances. The 29-year-old has played four different positions, with 19 innings in right field, 12 innings in center field, seven innings at first base and five innings in left field.
On Feb. 26, Vierling charged a line-drive single by Tyler O’Neill in the third inning of a 6-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. He fielded the ball on a short hop, gathered himself with a few steps and delivered a one-hop laser to the catcher to throw the runner out at home plate.
It was a perfect play.
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“The shoulder feels great,” Vierling said. “I probably came into spring overprepared.”
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More importantly, the fearless throw showed his arm is ready for an everyday role in right field.
Vierling prepared for his return from the shoulder injury by communicating weekly throughout the offseason with assistant pitching coach Robin Lund, who built a personalized throwing program.
“It’s been good to see him play with freedom,” Hinch said. “The throw from right field was a big deal.”
Outfield has been Vierling’s primary focus in camp.
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He might not play third base.
“To have him tell me that we’re going to focus on the outfield right now has made my life a lot easier,” Vierling said, referencing his conversation with Hinch. “We’ve talked about third base still being a thing, and I’m going to make sure I tell him that as much as I can, but that will work itself in at some point. I feel like I just want to get my arm in a good spot.”
A healthy Vierling is embracing the emotions of what happened last season, when he spent more time in the training room than on the field. For him, the early days of spring training were like the greatest gift.
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He feels like a baseball player again.
“I couldn’t be happier to feel the aches and pains of spring training again,” Vierling said. “I’m lying in bed and my legs are aching, and I’m like, ‘That’s awesome.’ At least I’m not on the training table feeling fresh. Screw that, dude. I want to hurt.”
And he’s back in the trenches with his teammates again.
“It’s felt like forever,” Vierling said. “I’ve never really gone through that – extended absences like that when everybody else is playing and you’re not, so it has felt like a while.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Matt Vierling looks like himself in Detroit Tigers spring training