Tigers' Austin Meadows sidelined by mental health issues

Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Meadows has been placed on the 10-day injured list to focus on mental health issues, the team said Saturday.

Meadows missed most of last season due to anxiety-related issues, appearing in 36 games after being acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay. Meadows had played in six games this season, batting .238 with two runs batted in.

Tigers general manager Scott Harris issued a statement prior to the team's home game against Boston, indicating that Meadows would be given as much time as needed to deal with his issues. Meadows had been the Tigers' lineup before being scratched approximately a half-hour before game time.

"The Tigers fully support Austin's decision to step away from the team and prioritize his mental health," Harris said. "As an organization, we have taken many steps to provide and destigmatize mental health resources, and we will do more to help our players tackle the mental and physical challenges they face on a daily basis.

"We commend Austin for confronting these challenges head-on and ask our fans to join in supporting him through every step of his journey back to the field," Harris said.

Detroit recalled outfielder Akil Baddoo from Triple-A Toledo to take Meadows' spot on the roster.

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