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Omar Infante may end up on the 15-day disabled list after all. When the Tigers second baseman was taken out on a hard slide by the Blue Jays' Colby Rasmus last week, he could barely put weight on the leg. He was able to walk without crutches a day later, but even the best case scenario called for Infante to get back on the diamond early this week. With the ankle continuing to be an issue, that doesn't seem likely now.
Infante told James Schmehl of MLive, "I'm thinking maybe the DL," Infante said. "I'll know [Tuesday]."
"I did some running today, but it wasn't easy," Infante added to Schmehl. "I can't run or jog. I can't do nothing."
The real surprise is that the Tigers were so optimistic in the first place. Tony Paul of the Detroit News thought for sure Infante would end up needing the DL. He reiterated that idea in responding to a question on Twitter this morning. "Tigers were optimistic because there was no break, but anybody who saw him hobbling that first night was suspicious."
Infante has a .309 average, .340 OBP and .447 slugging line in 309 plate appearances this year. Ramon Santiago has filled in for him, going 4-for-20 with a walk during that time. Santiago is hitting .162/.235/.257 this year.
If Infante were to hit the DL, the Tigers would have a decision to make. Although Danny Worth is available, he is hitting just .228 in Toledo this season. He's been limited to 40 games this year due to injury -- reportedly a heel contusion.
Hernan Perez may be the more likely callup. He is batting .300/.324/.422 for the Double-A Erie SeaWolves. He has 28 doubles and three triples. He's known for being a capable defender who can play both middle infield positions. He made his MLB debut last season during a brief fill-in, mainly because he was on the 40-man roster and was only needed for a handful of days.
Tigers Prospect Report ranked Perez 11th on their mid-season rankings update, writing, "He's got some excellent tools, including a very good glove at 2B, with the possibility of a "plus" glove, a nice hit tool, and some speed to burn. However, his plate approach bothers me. He's got a 3.3% walk rate in AA right now, and has had trouble keeping his BB% above 5."
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