Two outfield assists in one inning?
Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Pérez — a longtime infielder who only began playing the outfield in spring training 2024 —pulled it off in the seventh inning Tuesday, June 24, during an 11-4 win over the Athletics at Comerica Park.
“I don’t think I’ve seen two outfield assists at second base by the same outfielder — ever,” said Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, who watched Pérez’s throws from the dugout after completing his six-inning performance.
It was a first for Pérez in his two-year MLB career.
Before Tuesday’s game, Pérez had recorded just one assist in 1,020⅔ innings as an outfielder.
Not only did Pérez have two assists on defense, but he also delivered an important two-run double off Athletics right-hander Luis Severino as part of a five-run third inning.
He finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
The 25-year-old switch-hitter has a .307 batting average and a 1.007 OPS in 23 this season, all since May 27 when he returned from the injured list. He missed the first two months of the season with a lower back injury.
“Wenceel, on both sides of the ball, was a huge contributor to this win,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He had a big smile after the game — as he should. For as much as other guys get talked about, he has quietly been an instrumental part of our season once we got him back from injury.”
At the plate, Pérez is hitting .268 with an .857 OPS against right-handed pitchers (as a left-handed hitter) and .421 with a 1.053 OPS against left-handed pitchers (as a right-handed hitter). Last year, he hit .251 vs. righties and .209 vs. lefties.
He appears more comfortable as a switch-hitter in 2025, just like he feels more comfortable roaming the outfield — whether it’s his primary position in right field or his secondary positions in center or left field.
“I feel way better than last year,” Pérez said, an outfielder for exactly 480 days. “You have to keep working on it and get a lot of reps. When your head is moving, you have to figure out timing.”
The improvement is real.
“I see him slowing the game down and maintaining his rhythm and his timing and his fundamental,” Hinch said. “He’s really growing into understanding his timing. He’s not slow, but he’s slowing the game down, and that’s encouraging.”
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In the seventh inning, Pérez showcased his development on display with a pair of outfield assists — both on one-hop throws to second base.
On the first, he fielded a ball off the wall after it landed on the warning track and fired a one-hopper to nab Tyler Soderstrom sliding headfirst into the bag. On the second, he ranged near foul territory, spun and delivered another one-hopper to get Jacob Wilson sliding feet first.
Shortstop Javier Báez was on the receiving end of both throws.
Pérez tipped his cap to Báez.
“He’s the best out there at tagging players,” Pérez said. “I don’t know how he does it, but I think he’s the best at tagging guys at second base.”
In Tuesday’s game, Pérez drove in two runs in the third inning, recorded two outfield assists in the seventh and scored a run in the eighth — then capped it all off in the ninth.
He made a sliding catch in right field for the final out, securing an 11-4 win as the Tigers became the first MLB team to reach 50 victories in the 2025 season.
On this night, they might not have done it without him.
“When I came up with him in the minor leagues, he was a shortstop with a really good arm,” Skubal said. “You put him in the outfield, and he can roam free and let that arm go. I don’t know outs above average or defensive runs saved, but it feels like he accumulated a pretty good amount of WAR today.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers’ Wenceel Perez makes two outfield assists in one inning
