Tigers' Alfredo Simon leaves game in 7th with groin strain

On Saturday afternoon, Alfredo Simon was in the middle of his best start since missing a start on May 27 when he was suddenly placed on the bereavement list. But in the bottom of the seventh with the Tigers in a 5-1 lead, Simon hunched over in pain after a pitch and exited the game soon after with an injury.

After the game it was announced that Simon had suffered a groin strain. However, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus stated that Simon is not expected to miss his next start or see time on the disabled list.

"I think that was his back more earlier," Ausmus said via FOX Sports Detroit. "I believe the groin happened the following inning. At this point we don't think it's going to be DL. Both Kevin Rand and Alfredo said that they don't think it'll be an issue going forward."

Simon had appeared to have some discomfort in the bottom of the sixth fielding a ball, but he waved medical staff back into the dugout. Simon had dropped the ball after leaping to catch the ball, but he was able to retrieve it in time. At the time, the dropped ball didn't appear to be a concern.

But in the seventh, after he'd just delivered his second pitch of the inning, Simon was clearly hurt. He winced while walking around the mound, and after head athletic trainer Kevin Rand and Ausmus came out to check on Simon, he was pulled from the game visibly in pain.

Simon was replaced by Ian Krol, who got Red Sox's Pablo Sandoval to ground out before giving up a 10-pitch walk to Mike Napoli. Krol was quickly replaced by Alex Wilson, who remained in the game through the eighth inning. He retired all five batters faced, striking out a pair in the eighth, needing just 14 pitches in all.