The Tigers have placed starting DH Gary Sheffield on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique. Sheffied has played in 39 games this season for the Tigers and he is 29 for 136 (.213 avg, .675 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 3 homers, 12 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. The Tigers have recalled 25-year old lefty swinging Jim Larish from AAA and he will likely be the starting DH against righty pitchers. He has played in 53 games in AAA this season and he is 53 for 191 (.277 avg, .964 OPS) with 29 runs scored, 16 homers and 43 RBIs. Larish has whiffed 58 times in AAA ball this season so he might have some problems making contact in the majors. Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn will likely see some DH time against lefty starting pitching. Inge has played in 39 games for the Tigers this season and he is 25 for 112 (.223 avg, .717 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 4 homers and 19 RBIs. Raburn has played in 28 games this season for the Tigers and he is 9 for 42 (.214 avg, .679 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer and 4 RBIs. The Tigers likely won’t miss Sheffield as much as most people may think because he wasn’t hitting at all so far this year.

No one could have ever predicted that Armando Galarraga would be the Tigers’ best starting pitcher this late in the season. After all, he didn’t even make the opening day roster of the Tigers. He has started 7 games for the Tigers this season and he is 3-2 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He has been missing a lot of bats so far this season as he has only allowed 28 hits in 41.1 innings. The Tigers should leave Galarraga in the starting rotation and bump Nate Robertson to the pen now that Dontrelle Willis is ready to return from injury.

The Tigers have placed lefty reliever Clay Rapada on the 15-day disabled list with left biceps tendinitis. Rapada has been decent out of the bullpen for the Tigers this season. In 13 games for the Tigers, Rapada is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. The Tigers have activated lefty starter Dontrelle Willis from the D.L. and he will replace Rapada in the bullpen for now. Willis has pitched in 2 games (both starts) for the Tigers this season and he is 0-0 with a 7.20 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. Willis also started 3 games on a minor league rehab assignment (AAA ball) and he was 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Look for Willis to bump Kenny Rogers or Nate Robertson from the rotation soon as they continue to both pitch batting practice.

19-year old righty starting pitcher Rick Porcello is off to an outstanding start to his professional baseball career. Porcello has started 7 games in A-Ball so far this season and he is 2-4 with a 1.98 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. He has only allowed 25 hits in 36.1 innings so far this year. Although the Tigers might be tempted to rush Porecllo through the system they would be better served to take their time.

Curtis Granderson has really given the Tigers’ offense a huge boost since his return from the disabled list. He has played in 12 games for the Tigers this season and he is 14 for 45 (.311 avg, 1.192 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 5 homers and 9 RBIs. Look for the Tigers to follow Granderson’s lead and really start scoring a lot of runs soon.