LAKELAND, Fla. >> Shocked.

That was Matt Vierling’s initial reaction when he was told he had strained the rotator cuff in his right shoulder and would be shut down for at least three weeks. A couple of days later, the shock lingers.

“Emotionally shocked,” Vierling said Saturday morning, speaking about the injury for the first time. “Still in the shock phase and trying to figure out how to handle it the right way.”

Vierling, 26 and coming off the most productive season of his career, is an integral piece of the Tigers’ puzzle and expected to be part of the solution in right field and third base. Instead, he will start the season on the injured list.

“Going to rest for a couple of weeks and then reevaluate in about three weeks, less than that now, and then go from there,” he said. “I’m still trying to do some type of baseball activity, even though they’re telling me, no I’m not. Maybe some glove work or one-handed swings, just to stay somewhat going.

“But for the most part, just resting for that time and then hopefully good news after that.”

Vierling said his right arm felt “cranky” on the first day of full-squad workouts Feb. 17, but he didn’t think anything of it and kept playing.

“I have that all the time,” he said. “I’m sure everybody does.”

But it felt bad that entire week. He started in center field in Tampa last Sunday and on Monday reported the pain and underwent tests.

“I went home that night thinking it wasn’t much and all of a sudden they’re like, ‘It’s a little bit more,’” Vierling said. “I was like, ‘What?’ Just a little shocked by the whole thing. Then I was trying to process like, what could I have done to prevent this. Did I do something wrong.

“They said, you didn’t do anything wrong. This was going to happen.’”

Vierling is still trying to get his head around it, though. There was no single incident he could point to. The doctors are telling him that it was an accumulation of stress on the shoulder area.

“I personally think the way I play might’ve had a little bit to do with it — diving around a lot. Maybe?” he said. “Kind of fishing for reasons. I’ve just been told it’s out of my control and it was probably going to happen regardless.”

As frustrating as this is for him, Vierling is maintaining a healthy perspective about it.

“Honestly, it could’ve been way worse; it could’ve tore,” he said. “So I’m feeling grateful it’s not torn and I’m feeling grateful it’s March 1. … We’ll be OK. If we’re going to take any positives from this, I’m in a good spot knowing I’m going to be back.

“It’s not going to hinder, at least right now, too much of the season.”