Maybin (quad) to IL; Demeritte recalled

DETROIT -- The Tigers’ efforts to start a ninth-inning rally Thursday might have cost them their veteran outfielder. Cameron Maybin left Thursday’s 5-3 loss to the Royals with a strained right quad sustained while legging out an infield single.

Maybin was placed on the 10-day injured list after the game, manager Ron Gardenhire said. In a corresponding move, the Tigers announced Friday they have recalled outfielder Travis Demeritte from their alternate training site in Toledo.

• Box score

The 33-year-old Maybin, who signed with the Tigers as a free agent in February for his third stint with his original team, has struggled at the plate early this season but saw a chance at a leadoff single with a ninth-inning grounder to third off of Trevor Rosenthal.

By the time Maybin reached first base, however, he was trotting. He still beat Maikel Franco’s throw, but he hobbled back to the dugout almost immediately.

“He felt it out of the box his first few steps,” Gardenhire said. “He started to get after it and tried to pull up a little bit but felt a knot.”

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Maybin has dealt with injuries through much of his career, but he looked good physically in Spring Training and again in Summer Camp. He has earned the majority of starts in right field. Victor Reyes is likely in line for many of those.

The Tigers had options at various experience levels to take Maybin’s place. Demeritte was Detroit’s everyday right fielder down the stretch last year after coming over from the Braves in the Shane Greene trade. The 25-year-old batted .225 with seven doubles, three triples, two homers, 10 RBIs and a .630 OPS in 48 games last year. He made a stronger impression in Spring Training, batting 5-for-16 with four home runs and nine strikeouts, but he missed a good portion of Summer Camp with a quad injury.