DETROIT — The loss of Victor Martinez will take Detroit’s cleanup hitter out of the lineup for at least the next 10 days.
It will also give Tigers’ manager Brad Ausmus an opportunity to get creative with his designated hitter Saturday in the third game of a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Martinez felt cold sweats and a racing heartbeat Thursday night, was taken out for a pinch-runner after reaching on a run-scoring error in the seventh and afterwards went to a local hospital for overnight observation. Diagnosis: irregular heartbeat.
He was placed on the 10-day disabled list with catcher/first baseman John Hicks being brought up from the minors for the third time this season.