Tigers' Wenceel Perez resumes his rehab work at Comerica Park
· Yahoo Sports
Detroit — He was a sight for sore eyes, no pun intended.
Wenceel Perez, who fractured an orbital bone near his left eye in a freakish training accident in Houston three weeks ago, was back at Comerica Park for the first time Tuesday.
Visit h-doctor.club for more information.
“He looks like a prize fighter,” joked manager AJ Hinch. “But it’s great to see him smile and interact with everyone.”
Perez, injured when a resistance band snapped off its hook, played catch. He’s also been hitting off a tee and running.
“It was 2½ weeks and it was still sensitive (to the light),” Perez said. “It still is when the sun is too hot or too bright. It bothers me.”
Perez, who said he will never use resistance bands again, said he initially feared the worse.
“When it happened, I was like, ‘Oh, my eyes,’” he said. “Kelly (Rhoades, assistant trainer) was around me. I was like, ‘Kelly, my eyes, my eyes.’ I was in a lot of pain. She kind of opened my eye and said, ‘You are fine, you are fine.’
“I was really relieved.”
Perez will do his rehab work at Comerica Park going forward. He is still not ready to travel with the team.
There was plenty of other news on the injury front Tuesday:
▶ Reliever Will Vest (posterior right elbow inflammation) stayed back in Dallas. He is scheduled to consult with specialist Dr. Keith Meister. Hinch reiterated that it was not a ligament issue.
▶ Second baseman Gleyber Torres (oblique) has increased the volume and intensity of his baseball activity, including taking swings off a tee. Hinch said, “He is in a much better place now than he was the first time. I love the spark in his voice and the excitement that he’s not feeling anything when he swings.” The next step will be to take swings with a coach pitching. He isn’t expected to be ready for competition until after the All-Star break.
▶ Jackson Jobe (Tommy John surgery) was scheduled to make his first rehab start Tuesday at Low-A Lakeland. Hinch said they were going to try and "corral" him after two innings.
▶ Lefty Brant Hurter (lumbar spine inflammation) threw a bullpen session Tuesday.
▶ Shortstop Javier Báez (ankle) has ratcheted up the intensity of his baseball activity as he progresses toward an eventual rehab stint.
▶ Reliever Burch Smith (shoulder) threw a bullpen Tuesday.
@cmccosky
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tigers' Wenceel Perez resumes his rehab work at Comerica Park