Tigers recalling Tyler Collins, Victor Martinez to the DL

Outfielder Tyler Collins will join the Tigers on Tuesday, Tony Paul of the Detroit News reported. Victor Martinez was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left knee inflammation.

Martinez appeared to suffer an injury Monday night against the Brewers when running to first base in the eighth inning in an unsuccessful attempt to beat out a double play. After crossing the bag he appeared to favor his left knee, the same one that cost him the 2012 season and that he injured this past offseason. After the game general manager Dave Dombrowski and head trainer Kevin Rand were observed in the clubhouse.

Martinez is batting .216 with a .308 on-base percentage and 270 slugging average for the season, hardly good numbers for a designated hitter. The splits are astounding. Martinez has hit .462 with a 1.170 OPS as a right-handed batter facing lefties, but as a left-handed batter facing righties he's hitting just .141 with .395 OPS. Unfortunately that's also where more than three of every four of his plate appearances have come. After returning from hurting his knee in the offseason, Martinez just hasn't been able to recover from the left side, even before the apparent injury Monday.

The left-handed hitting Collins batted .250 with a home run in 25 plate appearances for the Tigers last season. He was among the final cuts this season in spring training, and since joining the Triple A Mud Hens has batted .248 with .338 OBP and .331 slugging. Against right-handers, his numbers look better, .316/.430/.395. He has no home runs or triples, but has hit six doubles against righties. Across parts of two seasons in Triple A he has hit .260 with .735 OPS.