Tigers Lose J.D. Martinez for 4-6 Weeks

The Tigers were already hurting in the outfield, with centerfielder Cameron Maybin battling wrist and quad trouble, and free-agent acquisition Justin Upton struggling all season.  Now they’ve lost right fielder J.D. Martinez until sometime in August.   Martinez ran into the corner wall at Kaufman Stadium on Thursday night and has a non-displaced fracture of his right elbow.

Martinez was hitting .287 with 12 home runs and 39 RBI’s, and will leave a big hole in the middle of the Tigers’ lineup.

The Tigers recalled right fielder Steven Moya from Triple-A Toledo, where he has played well.  Moya, 24, is hitting .302 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs with the Mud Hens.

It will be Moya’s second stint with the Tigers this season but undoubtedly his most stable. He played parts of nine games earlier in the season, going 9-for-32 and showing significant improvement in his plate appearances.

Outfielders Tyler Collins and Anthony Gose have struggled at Toledo this season.  JaCoby Jones is another outfield prospect who could be an appealing candidate to the Tigers down the line, especially with his ability to play the infield as well, but the club probably wants him to gain more seasoning in the minors before promoting him.   The Tigers could still call Jones up, if Cameron Maybin’s injuries get worse.