Austin Jackson Hits Tigers DL with Abdominal Strain

Austin Jackson has been placed on the Detroit Tigers 15-day disabled list with an abdominal strain.  Because Jackson has been out of the Tigers lineup since the middle of May, he will be eligible to return on June 1.  Detroit has yet to determine the extent of the injury, so it’s not yet known if Jackson will be able to return when he’s eligible to come off the DL.  With the absence of Jackson, the Tigers will turn to Don Kelly and Quintin Berry to man center field.

Jackson hasn’t appeared in a game since May 16 due to his ailing side.  Despite his absence, the Tigers kept Jackson off the DL in hopes that he would be able to recover without requiring an extended stint on the shelf.  While Jackson initially made progress, he had to be shutdown Tuesday when he experienced additional discomfort during a batting practice session.

Prior to his injury, Jackson had really come into his own this season.  Over his first 136 at-bats, Jackson had hit at a clip of .331/.414/.544 with 17 extra base hits, 17 RBIs and 29 runs scored.

Losing Jackson is a tough blow for a Tiger team that is struggling to move back over the .500 mark and close the gap between themselves and the White Sox and Indians in the American League Central.  Detroit has lost three in a row and seven of their last 10 games.

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