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DETROIT -- Daniel Norris' season may be in jeopardy unless his recovery from an oblique injury suffers absolutely no setbacks. Even then, the timetable for his rehab will be cutting it close. Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said that Norris' right oblique strain "looks to be a bit worse than even initially diagnosed."
The team is looking at a minimum of four weeks before Norris returns to the rotation. Even if Norris were to return to the rotation on time, he would likely get in only two starts before the end of the 2015 regular season.
Ausmus did say that "it's possible" that Norris is done for the season, but he would not commit to losing the lefty for the season. Norris, currently on the 15-day disabled list, would be able to come back on Sept. 16, a little less than four weeks from his original injury date of Aug. 19.
Before the game, Norris said he expects to miss anywhere from "three to six" weeks. Obviously there's some give and take depending on how Norris takes to treatment -- the Tigers haven't said what treatment plan Norris will undergo -- but either way the team will be short a starter for a significant length of time.
The acquisition of lefty Randy Wolf will hopefully provide some cushion with Norris being gone for a prolonged period of time, but that doesn't erase the added pressure that the rotation and bullpen are now facing. It's to be determined whether Buck Farmer will remain in the rotation, and the Tigers have to keep an eye on Matt Boyd's innings.
As for Anibal Sanchez, Ausmus said that he thinks Sanchez return to the rotation this season but there's no way to know for sure until later along his recovery. Prior to the game, Sanchez said he'd see how things progressed then assess after two weeks.
Sanchez will follow a rehab of treatment and medication regime, and then the team will see how well Sanchez's rotator cuff strain has recovered. In the meantime, Boyd will get the start on Sunday, with Wolf taking his spot on Saturday as Boyd had pitched an 18-pitch inning on Aug. 18.
Side note: Third base coach Dave Clark is away from the team as his daughter is getting married over the weekend. Clark will return to his duties after the Tigers' series against the Rangers.