DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers placed infielder Colt Keith on the 10-day injured list Friday with right rib cage inflammation, a notable loss as the Tigers try to hold on to their lead in the American League Central.
Keith left Thursday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians after the second inning. Keith had hit a double but walked off the field after the inning and asked out of the game.
“He was grabbing the side of his back, and he was coming off,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “All he was saying to me was, ‘I’ve got to come out of the game. I’ve got to come out of the game.’
“It’s very concerning this time of year, especially when he was that passionate about something going on in his back/side/rib region.”
The Tigers sent Keith for imaging after Thursday’s game and had not yet determined his status early Friday afternoon. But about an hour before game time, the Tigers announced the move to the injured list.
Keith, playing primarily third base in the second half, was hitting .256 with 13 home runs for the Tigers this season. Although Keith had been struggling in September, the lineup will still feel his loss. Friday, the Tigers had Zach McKinstry starting at third base and Javier Báez at shortstop.
In Jung, the Tigers add another left-handed hitter who had an .816 OPS in Triple A this year. Jung, however, has hit only .194 in 124 MLB at-bats. This will be Jung’s first major-league appearance since the Tigers optioned him in May.
Detroit entered Friday night leading the AL Central by 3 1/2 games, but the red-hot Guardians just swept them.
The Tigers host the Braves for a three-game weekend series before going to Cleveland to again face the Guardians in what could be a high-stakes series.
(Photo: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
Sep 19, 2025
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