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MINNEAPOLIS – Kerry Carpenter has a 1.076 OPS in 33 games in his career against the Minnesota Twins and a .500 batting average with one home run in eight plate appearances against Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. Carpenter is also coming off home runs in back-to-back games.
But he wasn't in the Detroit Tigers' starting lineup Monday, April 6, for the opener of a four-game series with the Twins, despite the favorable matchup with Ryan.
There's a reason for that.
"He's sick," manager A.J. Hinch said before Monday's game.
JEFF SEIDEL: Kerry Carpenter heating up among many encouraging signs for Tigers
It's the stomach flu.
"There's been a bug [going] through our team and some family members of our team," Hinch said. "Who knows if we can get him rallied for a late-inning pinch-hit, but he was in the original lineup before we submitted it, and I had to pull him."
Although Carpenter, a left-handed hitter, could be available as a pinch-hitter against a right-handed reliever, Hinch used a telling phrase that indicates Carpenter is unlikely to play at all in Monday's series opener.
"He's down today," Hinch said.
LAST GAME: Sloppy fielding denies Tigers sweep of St. Louis Cardinals
Carpenter, 28, is hitting .194 with two home runs, five walks and 15 strikeouts across nine games in the 2026 season, posting a .684 OPS. He went 4-for-9 (.444) with two home runs, two walks and three strikeouts in the recent three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals, hitting home runs in Saturday's 11-6 win and Sunday's 5-3 loss.
Several players are dealing with the illness.
"I'm staying away from him – and others," Hinch said.
Carpenter should be available to start Tuesday's game against Twins right-hander Taj Bradley.
MORE FROM JEFF SEIDEL: How Tarik Skubal and Justin Verlander are learning from each other
Right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long returned from the 15-day injured list after recovering from a left oblique strain. The 28-year-old suffered the injury before spring training.
The Tigers optioned Gipson-Long to Triple-A Toledo.
Before the reinstatement, Gipson-Long started Friday for Low-A Lakeland as part of his rehab assignment. He allowed for runs on two hits and zero walks (one hit batter) with two strikeouts across 1⅔ innings, throwing 39 pitches. He will continue to increase his workload as a starter with the Mud Hens, providing rotation depth for the Tigers.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Kerry Carpenter out with stomach flu vs Twins, Joe Ryan
Continue reading...
But he wasn't in the Detroit Tigers' starting lineup Monday, April 6, for the opener of a four-game series with the Twins, despite the favorable matchup with Ryan.
There's a reason for that.
"He's sick," manager A.J. Hinch said before Monday's game.
JEFF SEIDEL: Kerry Carpenter heating up among many encouraging signs for Tigers
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It's the stomach flu.
"There's been a bug [going] through our team and some family members of our team," Hinch said. "Who knows if we can get him rallied for a late-inning pinch-hit, but he was in the original lineup before we submitted it, and I had to pull him."
Although Carpenter, a left-handed hitter, could be available as a pinch-hitter against a right-handed reliever, Hinch used a telling phrase that indicates Carpenter is unlikely to play at all in Monday's series opener.
"He's down today," Hinch said.
LAST GAME: Sloppy fielding denies Tigers sweep of St. Louis Cardinals
Carpenter, 28, is hitting .194 with two home runs, five walks and 15 strikeouts across nine games in the 2026 season, posting a .684 OPS. He went 4-for-9 (.444) with two home runs, two walks and three strikeouts in the recent three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals, hitting home runs in Saturday's 11-6 win and Sunday's 5-3 loss.
Several players are dealing with the illness.
"I'm staying away from him – and others," Hinch said.
Carpenter should be available to start Tuesday's game against Twins right-hander Taj Bradley.
MORE FROM JEFF SEIDEL: How Tarik Skubal and Justin Verlander are learning from each other
Sawyer Gipson-Long returns from injury, optioned to Triple-A Toledo
Right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long returned from the 15-day injured list after recovering from a left oblique strain. The 28-year-old suffered the injury before spring training.
The Tigers optioned Gipson-Long to Triple-A Toledo.
Before the reinstatement, Gipson-Long started Friday for Low-A Lakeland as part of his rehab assignment. He allowed for runs on two hits and zero walks (one hit batter) with two strikeouts across 1⅔ innings, throwing 39 pitches. He will continue to increase his workload as a starter with the Mud Hens, providing rotation depth for the Tigers.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Kerry Carpenter out with stomach flu vs Twins, Joe Ryan
Continue reading...
