Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez got a late start to the 2025 season due to a back injury, but he's been a different player since he returned, and it's mainly been attributed to a mechanical tweak in his stance, according to The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen. Perez has closed off his stance and is angling his front foot to make sure he doesn't pull off the baseball. It's helped him be effective from both sides of the plate as a switch-hitter, as he has three homers apiece from each side and currently sports a .983 OPS. In addition to his adjustments as a hitter, the 25-year-old has made strides at his new home in right field and has shown off his arm strength recently by hosing two Athletics baserunners. It's still only a small sample size of 83 at-bats in 2025, but the Dominican is hitting .301 and is worth a look as a waiver-wire pickup if he's available in your league.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Monday's 13-1 win against the Chicago White Sox. The Dominican Republic native also doubled to pick up his first multi-extra-base-hit performance of the season. Perez crushed a Jonathan Cannon sinker 394 feet in the top of the second inning to give Detroit a 5-0 lead -- his second of the season since returning from the injured list. He then doubled in the top of the fifth to notch his second multi-hit game. It's not a large sample, but he's impacting the ball much harder than last season. If Perez can sustain the 92.4 MPH average exit velocity he's produced through six appearances, it'd put him in the top 30 amongst all hitters in the metric.

The Detroit Tigers activated outfielder Wenceel Perez (back) from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday and placed infielder/outfielder Matt Vierling (shoulder) on the 10-day IL in a corresponding move, according to the Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold. Perez is starting in center field and batting sixth on Tuesday against San Francisco Giants right-hander Logan Webb. The 25-year-old will be making his 2025 debut after missing the first two months of the season due to inflammation in his back. Especially now that Vierling is back on the shelf, he could see regular playing time in center field for the first-place Tigers, making him worth waiver-wire consideration in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues for outfield depth. Perez hit .242/.300/.383 with nine home runs, 37 RBI, 51 runs and nine stolen bases in his first 112 games as a rookie in 2024.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez (back) said the plan is for him to start a minor-league rehab assignment with High-A West Michigan on Thursday if all goes well early in the week. Perez, who had been rehabbing at the team's spring training complex in Lakeland, Fla., did some running and played catch at Comerica Park before Monday's blowout win over the Boston Red Sox. It looks like the 25-year-old still needs to be cleared to swing before he's allowed to go on a rehab assignment later this week. He has missed the entire 2025 season to this point due to lumbar spine inflammation and won't be eligible to come off the 60-day injured list until later this month. When healthy, the Dominican outfielder will provide depth for the Tigers' outfield after he hit .242 (94-for-389) with nine home runs, 37 RBI and nine stolen bases in his first 112 MLB games a year ago.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez (back) is completing defensive drills, playing catching, hitting batting practice in the cage and is progressing through a running progression, according to MLive's Evan Woodbery. Perez is finally doing baseball activities again after receiving two cortisone shots to help his lumbar-spine inflammation. The 25-year-old is currently on the 60-day injured list, so he won't be able to return to the Tigers until at least late May, but if he's able to start a minor-league rehab assignment soon, he could rejoin the big-league club when he's eligible. In his rookie season in 2024, Perez slashed .242/.300/.383 with nine home runs, 37 RBI, nine steals and 51 runs in 112 games played. He is versatile (can play middle infield) and has speed to spare, but he may not see enough playing time when he's ready to return to justify a roster spot in deep-mixed fantasy leagues.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez (back) received the second of two scheduled cortisone injections on Friday, according to MLive's Evan Woodbery. Perez was forced to the injured list to begin the 2025 season due to lumbar-spine inflammation, and there's currently no timetable for his return. With no clear picture on when he might be able to make his season debut, the 25-year-old most likely won't come off the IL until May. When he is healthy, expect him to be an option for a platoon role in center field with Parker Meadows (arm) also out for the foreseeable future. The switch-hitting Dominican can be left to the waiver wire in mixed leagues for now. Last year was his first year in the big leagues, and he hit .242/.300/.383 with a .683 OPS, nine home runs, 37 RBI and nine steals in 112 games played.

Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said that outfielder Wenceel Perez (back) is expected to be out at least a month to begin the season due to lower-back inflammation. Perez is scheduled to receive an injection in his back later this week. The Tigers have been hit hard with injuries to their outfielders at the start of the year, as Perez, Parker Meadows (arm) and Matt Vierling (shoulder) will all open on the injured list. It's why Detroit just signed veteran Manuel Margot, who could actually open the year as the team's primary center fielder. Another option would be for the Tigers to move Riley Greene to center field, which would open up playing time for Justyn-Henry Malloy in left field. Ryan Kreidler was also returned from minor-league camp this week to provide extra outfield depth early on. This news is obviously a big hit to Perez's fantasy value in AL-only leagues.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez (back) received a cortisone injection in his back. However, the team expressed optimism and expect the 25-year-old to be ready for Opening Day. Perez has been dealing with lower-back tightness over the past two weeks. Fantasy managers should monitor his status but it appears the injury is not overly serious, given Detroit's optimism. While Perez remains sidelined for the time being, Riley Greene should continue to see opportunities in center field. However, once Perez is cleared for action, he will likely have a starting role in the everyday lineup as Parker Meadows (arm) and Matt Vierling (shoulder) are both expected to miss Opening Day. Last summer, Perez made his MLB debut and held a .242/.300/.383 line with nine home runs and nine stolen bases across 112 contests. He will have short-term value in deeper formats while he holds a spot in the starting nine.

Detroit Tigers second baseman/outfielder Wenceel Perez is set to see increased opportunities in the outfield with Matt Vierling (shoulder) and Parker Meadows (biceps) sidelined. Vierling is dealing with a right shoulder injury and is to undergo further evaluation. Meadows is dealing with inflammation but did not suffer any structural damage. The 25-year-old is likely to be cleared for baseball activities in the coming days. However, for the time being, Perez could have an increased role in camp. Last season, Perez logged 105 of his starts in the outfield. However, he spent most of his time at the keystone in the minor leagues. Across his first 112 games in the majors, Perez posted a .242/.300/.383 line. He hit 12 doubles, nine home runs, and swiped nine bags. Fantasy managers should expect Perez to operate as a depth option during the regular season and only have value in deeper formats.

Detroit Tigers second baseman Wenceel Perez will start on the bench for Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Thursday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park. In two of the three games of the ALDS to this point, Perez has gone 1-for-5 at the plate. With Perez out on Thursday, Matt Vierling will start in right field and will bat third, with Zach McKinstry playing third base and batting seventh against Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee. Both Vierling and McKinstry have decent history against Bibee. Vierling has gone 3-for-11 (.273) against him with two home runs, four RBI and one strikeout, while McKinstry has gone 5-for-15 (.333) with two doubles, two RBI and a walk against Bibee. Vierling will be the more attractive DFS play near the top of the order. So far in the postseason this fall, he has just four hits in 18 at-bats with a double, two RBI and seven strikeouts.

Detroit Tigers rookie second baseman Wenceel Perez is back in the starting lineup for Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday at Comerica Park against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians and right-hander Alex Cobb, playing right field and batting fifth. Zach McKinstry will start on the bench in this one. Perez supplied two hits and a run scored in the Game 1 loss to Cleveland on Saturday and didn't get the start in the Game 2 win on Monday. The 24-year-old Dominican switch-hitter hit .242/.300/.383 with a below-average .683 OPS, nine home runs, 37 RBI and nine stolen bases in his first 112 major-league games in 2024. Perez did not face Cobb at all this year but was much more productive against right-handers as a lefty hitter this year, batting .251 (76-for-303) with eight of his nine home runs against them. He'll be a low-upside DFS sleeper for Wednesday's full slate of playoff action.

Detroit Tigers infielder Wenceel Perez will retreat to the bench for Game 2 of the wild-card series on Wednesday against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. The left-handed-hitting Colt Keith will man the keystone and will bat fifth for the Tigers versus Astros right-hander Hunter Brown. Perez contributed two hits and scored a run in the Game 1 upset win over the Astros to put them on the brink of elimination. Matt Vierling is also starting in right field, with Zach McKinstry getting the nod at the hot corner. In his first big-league season in 2023, Keith held his own with a .260 average (134-for-516) with 13 home runs, 15 doubles, four triples, 61 RBI, seven stolen bases and 54 runs scored in 148 games played. He actually hit over .300 against lefties in 82 at-bats, but 12 of his 13 home runs on the season came against right-handers.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Prez (oblique) might be sidelined for the rest of his rookie season after sustaining a left-oblique strain during Friday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Although the Tigers haven't officially ruled him out, manager A.J. Hinch was non-committal about Prez returning before the season finale on Sept. 29. Prez, a switch-hitter, was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday due to the oblique strain, but he is expected to be out for much longer. In 97 games (347 at-bats) this season, he is slashing .242/.298/.386 with nine homers and 32 RBI. In his place, the Tigers have called up outfielder Akil Baddoo from Triple-A Toledo.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez will head to the 10-day IL with an oblique strain. Veteran outfielder Akil Baddoo will take his place on the roster. Perez left the game Friday night due to soreness in his abdominal area. The severity of the injury is unknown, but a serious oblique strain could end Perez's season. The rookie has been a pleasant surprise, hitting .242 with nine home runs, 32 RBI, nine stolen bases and 49 runs scored in 378 plate appearances.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez (abdomen) exited with left abdominal tightness in Friday night's game against the hosting San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. He drew one walk in two plate appearances, getting replaced by Bligh Madris in Detroit's outfield. Perez hasn't been all that fantasy relevant in 2024, but he's played a big role for the Tigers in 97 games, slashing .242/.298/.386 with nine home runs, 49 runs scored, and nine stolen bases over 378 plate appearances. The 24-year-old switch-hitter should be deemed day-to-day prior to Saturday's matchup against the Giants. If Perez isn't in the lineup for a day or two, Madris and Zach McKinstry would be in line for an uptick in at-bats, with Matt Vierling (back) nursing a back issue.

Detroit Tigers infielders Colt Keith and Wenceel Perez are not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Andy Ibanez is starting at second base and will bat leadoff for Detroit, with Ryan Vilade playing right field and batting ninth against Dodgers left-hander James Paxton. Vilade was recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Friday. Both Keith and Perez have been swinging hot bats for the Tigers, but they'll take the day off to kick off the weekend. Keith, a 22-year-old rookie, has been especially productive so far in July, going 13-for-37 (.351) with four home runs, two triples, nine RBI, a stolen base and 12 runs scored in 10 games. Ibanez, 31, has hit an impressive .288 (36-for-125) this year in limited playing time, but his DFS upside as a sleeper is limited because of his lack of power and speed.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez had a huge game in a 13-5 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday. Perez went 4-for-6 with two runs, two RBI, and a stolen base to help propel his team to the win over Houston. The rookie outfielder has been a solid addition to the top of the Detroit lineup as he's batting .260 with three homers, 27 runs, 17 RBI, and five steals across 177 at-bats in 2024. On the heels of his four-hit game, Perez is now hitting .321 over his past seven contests. Perez is worth a look in deep mixed leagues and in AL-only formats for fantasy gamers looking to bolster their benches.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez (illness) was scratched from Sunday's lineup in the Bronx against the New York Yankees due to an illness. Rookie second baseman Colt Keith will now enter the lineup at second base while batting seventh, with Andy Ibanez at third base and leading off and Matt Vierling in right field and in the two-hole versus Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes. Perez, who was slated to make his seventh straight start, should be considered day-to-day heading into Monday's series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. The 24-year-old has earned more playing time by hitting .302 (16-for-53) in the early going with three homers, eight RBI and two stolen bases for the Tigers. Ibanez and Vierling are both worth looking at as low-cost DFS sleepers at the top of Detroit's lineup.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez went 3-for-4 at the plate with two home runs in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. Perez launched a solo shot in the bottom of the second and then hit a two-run blast in the seventh. The 24-year-old has performed very well in his first 15 games at the major-league level with a .302/.375/.628 stat line with three home runs and two swiped bags. Perez has now started in seven consecutive games and is worth looking into in AL-only formats and deeper mixed leagues due to his recent power surge.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez went 3-for-5 with two singles and a triple in Friday's 5-4 win over the Twins. Perez also drove in two runs, scored twice, and stole a base. In a tie ballgame, the 24-year-old's last hit came in the ninth inning after the Twins intentionally walked the batter in front of him, and it drove in what would be the winning run. Perez has only played in seven MLB games, but is 5-for-16 (.313), including a double and a triple, along with two RBI, three runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases. He had 26 steals in the minors last season, so he does have some speed. If he keeps this up he'll certainly put himself on the fantasy radar.