LAKELAND, Fla. -- Sometime during Jim Leyland’s early years as Tigers manager more than a decade ago, he saw Omar Infante’s athleticism translate into playing multiple positions and said he would be a good National League player. The Senior Circuit back then was perceived as a more useful place for superutility players, thanks to pinch-hitting.

Don Kelly, of course, changed the perception a few years later, playing all over the field for Leyland. Andrew Romine did the same for Leyland’s successor, Brad Ausmus. With Niko Goodrum now getting work in center field, he might fill out the resume for Ron Gardenhire.

If that’s where he finds his role, Goodrum isn’t going to complain.

“That’s how I got to the big leagues, being able to play everything,” he said. “But not everyone’s cut out to do that. You can’t take most first basemen and put them in center. I’ve been blessed to be able to play them all.”

If Goodrum had been wearing a fitness tracker for his start in center field earlier this week, he could’ve logged some miles from chasing down all the line drives against the Blue Jays. He had a late read on one or two, but more than held his own on the rest. The next day, he started in right field.

After entering Spring Training with the inside track to start at second base, Goodrum has quickly pivoted back to utility work following Josh Harrison's arrival. He takes grounders around the infield, and tracks fly balls during batting practice.

“You have to get your reads,” Goodrum said. “That’s the big thing, working early, getting reads.”

Though Goodrum has not played a Major League regular-season game in center field, he played there at times on his way up the Twins' farm system. There are advantages for him there over the corner spots.

“Center for me, you can see a little bit better, because you can see on the side of [fly balls],” Goodrum said. “That ball straight at you is kind of tough. Quintin Berry told me when we were with the Twins, 'When you’re in the corners, you just slow down. You take it slow so you can get those reads, not as fast like in center field.'”

Zimmermann feasts on sliders

Jordan Zimmermann allowed a run on hits to his first two batters during Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Phillies, then settled down to retire his next 12 batters -- half by strikeout and only one on a ball hit out of the infield -- to close out his third and best start of the spring.

“I felt like I was in total command all day,” Zimmermann said. “I threw probably more sliders today than changeups. The changeups I did throw were all down. I got a couple strikeouts on that pitch, so I’m very pleased.”

Zimmermann now has 14 strikeouts over nine innings this spring, with two runs allowed on five hits. In a spring when several Tigers starters are working to find their form, Zimmermann is becoming one of the bright spots.

“I feel great. I feel like my mechanics are right where I need them to be," he said. "In years past, I always felt a little off, but the mechanics are there, health is right where it needs to be. I’m able to locate all my pitches at any time. It definitely makes it a lot easier to pitch when you don’t have to worry about anything else going on out there.”

VerHagen dealing with arm issue

Reliever Drew VerHagen spent Thursday being examined by doctors for what the team is calling a “dead arm,” a term normally used to describe a tired arm in Spring Training.

“He’s getting checked out,” Gardenhire said. “He just didn’t have it the other day. Just making sure everything’s going good, everything’s right. They’re going to run some tests and check him. Doctors looked at him and said they don’t see anything, but then you go ahead and follow the process. That’s all that’s happening.”

VerHagen yielded four runs, three earned, on two hits with three walks while recording only two outs on Wednesday against the Braves. He threw a wild pitch immediately after a mound visit from pitching coach Rick Anderson.

Up next

The Tigers will play under the lights at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa on Friday when they take on the Yankees in a 6:35 p.m. ET game. Matthew Boyd will make his third start of the spring, while Tigers batters will face Masahiro Tanaka for the second time this week. Watch on MLB.TV, or tune in to the radio call on WWJ-AM 950 in Detroit or MLB Gameday Audio online.