Minneapolis — The precise reason Miguel Cabrera was out of the Tigers’ lineup Wednesday was because it was a noon start after the night game Tuesday. Cabrera, 39, typically doesn’t play on day games after night games.
But Tigers manager AJ Hinch admitted the club is concerned. Cabrera plays in pain almost every night. He has a chronic condition in his knee. But he hasn’t been moving well since the All-Star break and may need more days off going forward.
“I don’t know to what extent because he’s pretty tough and he’s also pretty quiet about it,” Hinch said. “But it doesn’t look like he feels particularly great. I talked to him. Moving forward we are going to try to get him a few more regularly-scheduled days off. Today was strictly because of the noon start.
“But I may sprinkle in a few more off days and be careful with him.”
Cabrera is hitting .132 over the last 20 games. His discomfort was evident Tuesday night as he labored to get back to the dugout after grounding out in three straight at-bats.
“I don’t think it’s going to get a ton better,” Hinch said. “I think he can tolerate a lot. He has his good days and he has his bad days. But obviously we’re very concerned. At his age and how much he’s played, there is no real resolution. He just has to fight through it.
“I want him to be honest with us about his pain. It’s important that we don’t put him in any more harm’s way. It just is what it is at this point of his career. We have to monitor it.”
Skubal to IL
The last original starter standing has fallen.
The Tigers put Tarik Skubal on the injured list Wednesday with arm fatigue. Now all five members of the team’s Opening Day rotation have had to be shutdown.
“We just have to be very, very conservative with this arm injury,” Hinch said. “We’ve gone through so many of them and this one is alarming because it is Tarik Skubal and what he means to the rotation and to this organization.”
Skubal fought to stay in the rotation but was resoundingly overruled.
“There is no sense in pushing him until he is completely asymptomatic and not feeling the tightness and fatigue he was feeling,” Hinch said. “He wants the ball. He wants to pitch. It was a tough conversation because he prides himself on posting every fifth or sixth day.
“We took it out of his hands.”
Reliever Wily Peralta (hamstring) was activated off the injured list to take Skubal’s roster spot. The Tigers are going to need a starting pitcher for Friday against the Rays at Comerica Park. There is a chance that Bryan Garcia will be called up to make his second start of the season.
Around the horn
The Tigers also called up outfielder Daz Cameron from Triple-A Toledo and sent infielder Zack Short back to Toledo. Short, who was with the Tigers on the taxi squad, was a temporary fill-in after Robbie Grossman was traded to Atlanta. With Cameron up, both Willi Castro and Kody Clemens will be used more on the infield. Akil Baddoo, Riley Greene, Victor Reyes and Cameron will man the outfield.
…Reliever Jason Foley notched his first career win Tuesday night, in his 48th big-league game. It was also his 11th straight scoreless outing. He hasn’t given up a run since July 9.
On deck: Rays
► Series: Four games at Comerica Park, Detroit
► First pitch: Thursday-Friday — 7:10 p.m.; Saturday — 6:10 p.m.; Sunday — 1:40 p.m.
► TV/radio: Thursday — Bally Sports Detroit, FS1/97.1 FM; Friday-Sunday — Bally Sports Detroit/97.1.
► Probables: Thursday — LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-3, 2.70) vs. RHP Drew Hutchison (1-4, 4.53); Friday — RHP Corey Kluber (7-6, 4.03) vs. TBA; Saturday — RHP Shane McClanahan (10-4, 2.07) vs. RHP Garrett Hill (1-3, 5.88); Sunday — TBA vs. Matt Manning (0-0, 3.46).
Scouting report
► Springs, Rays: The Rays are 8-4 in the 12 starts he’s made since joining the rotation on May 13. He’s posted a 3.13 ERA in that stretch. He mixes a changeup (37% whiff rate) and slider (.225 opponent average) off a 91-92 mph four-seam fastball.
► Hutchison, Tigers: He pitched through a slight ankle sprain in Toronto last week and he pitched well. His fastball hit 94 mph and he was spotting his secondary pitches well.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky