TORONTO >> They can’t all follow made-for-television scripts.

It would’ve been a nice story for Tigers’ infielder/outfielder Matt Vierling to come off his rehab assignment and make his 2025 debut in his hometown St. Louis.

Alas, it’s not going to happen.

“Patience is the biggest key,” manager AJ Hinch said Sunday. “We’re going to make sure he checks all the boxes before he comes back. The worst thing we could do is not test him, bring him back and have him be tested in the big leagues and have an issue then.”

Vierling, who has been out since early spring with a rotator cuff strain, played third base for Triple-A Toledo Saturday, but he didn’t get a lot of action.

“He still hasn’t made a lot of competitive throws,” Hinch said. “Which you can’t create. You have to kind of hope the action finds him.”

Vierling was scheduled off on Sunday and will have a rehab day at Comerica Park on Monday before returning to his rehab assignment in Toledo on Tuesday.

“We have an allotted time (21 days) and we’re going to use whatever we need to before we bring him back. With this type of injury, you want him to throw and you can’t create that very easily.”

Vierling has already played multiple innings in left field and center field. The third base action is the final test.

Center fielder Parker Meadows, out with a nerve issue in his upper right arm, is expected to join Vierling at Comerica Park Monday. Pitcher Casey Mize (hamstring) is expected to throw a live bullpen against both Vierling and Meadows.

“Parker threw great,” Hinch said. “He continues to take steps forward, just as much with his confidence as with his quality of throws. He’s getting very close (to starting his rehab assignment).”

With Mize throwing Monday, it puts him in position to return to the rotation immediately when his 15-day IL stint ends on Saturday (May 24).

Picking your poison

Hinch doesn’t love issuing intentional walks. That’s been well-documented over the years.

But he did not hesitate when Blue Jays’ switch-hitter Anthony Santander was announced as a pinch-hitter with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the winning run on third base Saturday.

Right-hander Brenan Hanifee was on the mound and right-handed hitting Ernie Clement was on deck. Santander has struggled with the Blue Jays and was in a 0-for-12 skid, but he does have a .773 career OPS batting lefty.

“Anytime we can get Hanifee on a right-handed hitter, we’ll take it,” Hinch said.

Right-handers were 10 for 66 (.151) against Hanifee this season with 12 strikeouts. Clement was hitting .220 against right-handed pitching.

Hinch chose to attack Clement in that situation.

“Putting the ball in play against Hanifee is easier with a left-handed hitter,” Hinch said. “It wasn’t anything against Clement. I’ve seen him be really good. He’s a very talented player. But right-on-right, we’re going to make that guy beat us.

“And he did.”

Clement slapped a walk-off single to right field.

Around the horn

Reese Olson, who left the game Saturday after six strong innings with a cramp in his right ring finger, said he felt no additional discomfort Sunday morning. He didn’t seem to have any issues during his catch play. “It was affecting his grip and that was the concern level,” Hinch said. “Now we have a few days to insure everything is OK.”

… Notable in Toledo, Gage Workman, a shortstop by trade, started in center field for the Mud Hens Sunday. Workman, taken in the Rule 5 draft by the Cubs and subsequently released by the White Sox, was returned to the Tigers last week. Workman has not played center field in the minors before.

But he and Ryan Kreidler will apparently alternate between center and shortstop.

… The loss Saturday ended the Tigers’ MLB-best streak of 26 straight wins after leading after the sixth inning.