Detroit Tigers CF Parker Meadows sidelined for 'a few weeks' with right hamstring strain

There's a chance Parker Meadows won't play for the Detroit Tigers again until early August.

The Tigers placed Meadows, an elite defender in center field, on the 10-day injured list Monday with a right hamstring strain, only three days after promoting him from Triple-A Toledo. The 24-year-old, a left-handed hitter, collected four hits in 11 at-bats before leaving Sunday's game with the hamstring injury.

"That was a bummer to see because he was contributing daily," manager A.J. Hinch said, "and this was a great stretch for him with all the right-handed pitching we're seeing. It's not a massive injury, but it is one that's going to take him out of the lineup for a few weeks."

If it's exactly three weeks, Meadows could return to the Tigers as soon as the final three days in July, but keep in mind, he will need to complete a rehab assignment.

To replace Meadows, the Tigers recalled Akil Baddoo, a fellow left-handed hitting outfielder, from the Mud Hens. The 25-year-old — making $1.55 million — is hitting .132 with two home runs, eight walks and 19 strikeouts in 22 games.

Meadows exited Sunday's 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the eighth inning after a head-first slide into second base. He didn't stand up after the play — rather sitting behind the bag, hanging his head — which raised red flags immediately.

The timing of the injury is terrible.

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Meadows hit .364 (4-for-11) with one home run, one walk and two strikeouts across 12 plate appearances in his return from Triple-A Toledo.

"He was having quality at-bats quite often," Hinch said. "It wasn't always hit or it wasn't always moving the ball, but one of the things we talked about when he got back was, how many quality at-bats can you have a night? Maybe a bunt, maybe a hit, obviously the homer, the single at the very end. He was contributing."

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The Tigers optioned Meadows in early May, but he earned his way back by hitting .298 with eight homers, 28 walks and 42 strikeouts in 47 games in his two months with the Mud Hens. Meadows also earned his way back by making a swing adjustment involving his hands and locking in the timing of his swing for fastballs.

He worked on the swing adjustment with Triple-A hitting coach Mike Hessman.

"Just keeping my hands up longer," Meadows said before Friday's game, marking his return. "My hands were dropping a little bit, so my swing was uphill. We really worked on being more down and direct to the ball. I was able to do that. Once I got that dialed in, I could really focus on the timing. It's hard to hit a rising fastball when your swing is uphill."

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Meadows then put the swing adjustment on display in all three games with the Tigers — beginning in his first trip to the plate with a home run off an up-and-in fastball — before the right hamstring strain sent him to the injured list.

The Tigers look forward to Meadows returning to full health.

"We are excited to get him back when we can," Hinch said. "His swing path was better. The subtle mechanical adjustment that he and Hess made at Triple-A was showing up in the big leagues, from the very first at-bat. He will factor in again, hopefully soon, but the adjustments were beneficial to him, and we noticed them right away."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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