Rays manager Joe Maddon is going with what he calls the "Tommy Tutone" lineup — or, if you don't recall that, try the lyric "Jenny, I've got your number ...." In order, the positions are 8-6-7-5-3-0-9 ...

The Tigers did not post a lineup before batting practice, waiting on whether or not Victor Martinez (side) is available. He was good to go after taking his swings, and back in the lineup for the first time after missing the entire A's series.

Manager Brad Ausmus was intentionally as cautious as possible to make sure it did not get worse. It helped that the Tigers won all three vs. the A’s without him.

“Well, all things being equal, I’d rather have Victor Martinez in the lineup. You can absorb a guy being out of the lineup for a day, maybe three or four days,” Ausmus said. “But over the course of six months, I want Victor in the lineup on a regular basis.”

But was he concerned?

“I mean, no more concerned than I would have been with Torii (Hunter’s hamstring), and he was out about a week,” said the manager, indicating his concern level with with that injury never really grew, either. “Not really, no, because he was steadily improving.

“I think in Cleveland, for a split second, we talked about ‘Well, should we DL him, because it’s going to be about a week?’ After talking to him, I just wasn’t concerned it was going to go any longer than that.”





DETROIT TIGERS (47-34):
Austin Jackson CF

Ian Kinsler 2B

Miguel Cabrera 1B

Victor Martinez DH

J.D. Martinez LF

Torii Hunter RF

Nick Castellanos 3B

Alex Avila C

Eugenio Suarez SS

Pitcher: Max Scherzer, RHP (9-3, 3.64 ERA)

TAMPA RAYS:
Desmond Jennings CF
Ben Zobrist SS
Matt Joyce LF
Evan Longoria 3B
James Loney 1B
Vince Belnome DH
Kiermaier RF
Ryan Hanigan C
Cole Figueroa, 2B

Pitcher: Erik Bedard (4-5, 4.21 ERA)