HOUSTON -- Tigers starter Francisco Liriano left Sunday's 6-3 win over the Astros after three innings with lower back tightness, the club announced.
Liriano allowed one run in the second inning and struck out three and walked three in his three frames at Minute Maid Park against Houston, which presented Liriano with his 2017 World Series ring on Saturday.
"My back was real tight," said Liriano, who added his back was tightening up during his pregame warmup routine. "It just didn't get loose at all. It's nothing major. Just being careful. I was trying to pitch through it, but it was getting worse. … We just had to shut it down."
The 34-year-old lefty has not completed more than three innings in either of previous two starts. Liriano lasted 2 1/3 innings at Tampa Bay on July 9 when he allowed seven runs on eight hits, raising his ERA from 4.03 to 4.74. Sunday's three innings dropped his season ERA slightly to 4.67.
"A little stiff back, he had it from the start," Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It just kept getting tighter and tighter, and by the fourth inning, we just said that's enough."
Liriano will have plenty of time to recover as he's not scheduled to pitch during the Tigers' series next weekend against the Red Sox once their All-Star break concludes late next week.