Avila 'upgrades' infield, acquires Aybar

(Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)Detroit – It’s not like Mike Aviles’ pop out with two on and the tying run on second base Monday night was the last straw for the Tigers.

But the situation highlighted exactly why general manager Al Avila felt, and has felt for quite some time, that the Tigers needed a little more offensive thump from their utility players.

So, on Tuesday, just 40 minutes before the start of the game against the Royals, the Tigers announced they’d traded Aviles and catching prospect Kade Scivicque to Atlanta for veteran infielder Erick Aybar.

“The main reason is to upgrade our utility position,” Avila said. “We feel that Aybar give us more offense from that utility position.…