Hao-Yu Lee was sent down after hitting a home run; Tigers manager says he will return. His first MLB stint lasted 45 days.

Hao-Yu Lee hit his second career home run yesterday, but today the Detroit Tigers sent him back to Triple-A to free up a spot for star second baseman Gleyber Torres, who was activated from the injured list. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch stated they look forward to his continued growth and remarked, “He will return.”

Lee made his debut on April 18 against the Boston Red Sox, and his first MLB journey lasted 45 days before he was optioned to Triple-A on the 46th day. In total, Lee appeared in 32 games during his initial big-league stint, posting a .205/.241/.337 slash line over 87 plate appearances. Hinch said, “I’m glad he had that performance last night. He’s getting better and better.”

In his first 16 games, Lee hit .159/.213/.273 with a 34% strikeout rate. However, over the next 16 games, his numbers improved to .256/.275/.410, and his strikeout rate dropped to roughly 20%, slightly below the MLB average.

“He learned a lot,” Hinch said. “Because of injuries, he was called up quickly and thrown into action right away, and he showed what he can do at this level. He has power, hits the ball hard, can play multiple positions, and now understands that the game speed here is much faster.”

The Tigers also have another right-handed infielder on the bench, Zack Short, who can play shortstop. Unlike Lee, who can still be freely moved between the majors and minors, Short has no more options and would have to go through waivers, potentially leaving the team. That’s why the Tigers chose to send down Lee. Back in Triple-A, Lee will be able to start every day and continue refining what he learned in the majors.

Hinch reminded everyone that Lee is only 23 years old and still in the early stage of his development: “Sometimes we underestimate age and future growth. He didn’t spend much time in Triple-A before coming up, his spring training was interrupted by injury, and he had just finished rehab, but he still kept up—especially in these last few days. He matured right before our eyes, and I told him he’ll be back. I don’t know when, but I expect him to learn from this experience and feel more at ease when he returns.”