Berti on IL with oblique strain; Dean recalled 

DETROIT -- Marlins infielder/outfielder Jon Berti, a native of Troy, Mich., had been looking forward to the Interleague Series with the Tigers at Comerica Park. But the unpredictability of baseball changed those plans. On Tuesday, Miami placed Berti on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain, and in a corresponding move, recalled outfielder Austin Dean from Triple-A New Orleans.

The injury sidetracked a homecoming of sorts for Berti. But in terms of the bigger picture, the club is hopeful that he will not have a prolonged stay on the IL.

“When you're in that area, you really can't do anything for a while,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “I think it's somewhat extended. Hopefully, it's not the other end of it, where it was all blown up.”

Berti had been providing a spark at the top of the order, offering a speed element that had been missing. In 22 games, Berti is hitting .237 with two home runs, four RBIs and a stolen base. He had been splitting time in center field with Rosell Herrera.

Exactly when Berti aggravated the oblique is unclear. On Saturday night, in a 2-0 win over the Mets at Marlins Park, the 29-year-old was shaken up after crashing into the center-field wall while trying to make a catch. But Mattingly said Berti appeared to aggravate the oblique while swinging the bat in the cages.

“He wasn't feeling anything,” Mattingly said on the wall collision. “And then he took a swing in the cage. An oblique, intercostal-type thing usually happens on a swing, and that's when it happened.”

Berti’s IL stint is retroactive to Sunday; the earliest he is eligible to return is May 29, the second of a three-game series with the Giants at Marlins Park. With Berti out of the lineup, Harold Ramirez, who had been playing left field, started Tuesday’s opener at Detroit in center.

Dean is being called up for the second time. The 25-year-old previously appeared in six games, and he was hitting .227 with one home run and six RBIs in 22 at-bats, with nine strikeouts. At New Orleans, Dean’s line is .365/.447/.661 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs.

After playing mostly left field early in the season, Dean has been getting time at first base in the Minors.

“A little different look with Harold in center,” Mattingly said. “Deano is up. He's been swinging the bat good. He's playing a little bit of first base. We'll do some first and some outfield. Kind of move from there.”

The Tigers are starting left-handers on Wednesday and Thursday, and perhaps the Marlins will look to get Dean into those games.

Worth noting

• Catcher Jorge Alfaro, who suffered a left calf strain on Saturday, was used as the designated hitter on Tuesday.

“It gives him an extra day with the leg,” Mattingly said. “We think he's fine. Then we will figure out the lineup tomorrow. We have lefties the next couple of days. We'll look at it, and see where we are health-wise.”

• Right-hander Riley Ferrell (right biceps tendinitis) is having his rehab assignment transferred to New Orleans, and he is expected to be available on Wednesday. Ferrell is on the 60-day IL.

• Right-hander Julian Fernandez (recovering from Tommy John surgery) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex in Jupiter, Fla. He threw 21 pitches.