“Yeah, Miguel is an option at third base the first couple of games,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said via MLB.com. “He is, assuming (Victor’s) OK at first.”
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In a strange series of events, Detroit will begin the 2016 season against the Miami Marlins and finish with the Atlanta Braves. Having bookend interleague matchups does not happen often in MLB.
“It’s odd, it’s a little strange,” Ausmus said of opening and closing the season with interleague play. “Little bit of an inconvenience for us, because we’re a team that has a DH in Victor Martinez. Should we be forced to not play Victor a game or two, or three, because of that? Especially if we’re looking at the end of the season, we’re fighting for a playoff spot. That’s not ideal, for sure.”
At this stage in their careers, and given their recent injury history, Cabrera and Martinez would probably both be better suited in designated hitter roles. But Ausmus is unwilling to sacrifice their bats for a game if healthy.
Nick Castellanos, the Tigers’ normal third base starter, will come off the bench during Interleague play.
