Tigers at Mariners, lineups, Tuesday, May 8

I could write a bit about the matchup tonight. Right-handers have absolutely owned Mariners starter Kevin Millwood this year, though typically it's the other way around.

But maybe more interesting to you is Ryan Raburn batting sixth. Yes, sixth. Tigers manager Jim Leyland is trying to get Raburn hitting, so he moved him up in the lineup to see what happens. Raburn has three hits, including a double, off Millwood, not that so few plate appearances has any real predictive value.

Leyland, as quoted by MLive:

"I've got to get him going, and I'm going to give him the opportunity to get going. That's why he's playing."

By the by, the beat writers are reporting on Twitter than Alex Avila is out tonight and Wednesday with tendinitis in his left knee.

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Tigers lineup:

Austin Jackson, CF (RH)
Andy Dirks, LF (LH)
Miguel Cabrera, 3B (RH)
Prince Fielder, 1B (LH)
Delmon Young, DH (RH)
Ryan Raburn, 2B (RH)
Jhonny Peralta, SS (RH)
Brennan Boesch, RF (LH)
Gerald Laird, C (RH)

SP: Justin Verlander (RH)

Mariners lineup:

Dustin Ackley, 2B (LH)
Brendan Ryan, SS (RH)
Ichiro Suzuki, RF (LH)
Jesus Montero, C (RH)
Kyle Seager, 3B (LH)
John Jaso, DH (LH)
Justin Smoak, 1B (S)
Mike Carp, LF (LH)
Michael Saunders, CF (RH)

SP: Kevin Millwood (RH)