Detroit Tigers’ Alex Avila available for Game 4 despite sore knee – MLB Playoffs
The Detroit Tigers’ catcher Alex Avila will play Game 4 of the American League National Championship Series despite a sore right knee. At a time when a number of Tigers’ players are suffering from a number of injuries, Avila prefers playing instead of taking
a backseat.
"If we're playing, Alex will be catching," said manager Jim Leyland, halting any speculation Omir Santos could get a start to give Avila a break.
Alex Avila’s decision to play despite the injury comes at a time when Magglio Ordonez had to end the season due to a broken right ankle. Intercostal strain has affected Victor Martinez while Delmon Young is battling abdominal strain.
Bending his painful right knee, however, is not much of a strain for him considering the stakes involved. The Tigers will be looking to keep their players healthy as the Rangers have successfully maintained a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven-game series so
far.
"He's hurting," Leyland said. "He's gotten banged up all year, but we got in that one stretch where we couldn't do anything about it. He had to catch all those games. That hurt him, and I couldn't do anything about it."
The Tigers’ manager also says that the trainers are taking care of him until he is in sound bodily condition.
"Alex is banged up pretty good," Leyland said. "His knee was swelling up not too long ago. Trainers are doing the best they can to take care of that."
Avila has maintained a .118 average in the post-season with 17 at-bats, having had two hits only. That is what might well be a source of worry for him. However, Avila’s performance throughout the regular season enabled him to regularly feature in the team.
Playing 141 games with 464 at-bats, he had an average of 2.95 with 137 hits to his credit, scoring 63 runs which included 82 RBIs with no less than 19 home-runs. As the ALCS progresses it has to be seen how he keeps things working for him with a painful
knee.
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