Magglio Ordonez has been cleared for game action after taking two weeks off to rest his surgically repaired ankle, so he’ll begin a rehab assignment Friday at Triple-A.
According to Jason Beck of MLB.com the Tigers haven’t said how long they expect Ordonez to spend in the minors, so presumably his bat will determine the timetable after he hit just .172 in 26 games before being placed on the disabled list.
Jim Leyland told Beck that he’s “really anxious to see if Magglio can get back in there.” Complicating the issue is that Ordonez will have to play the outfield when he’s in the lineup thanks to Alex Avila’s strong play at catcher making Victor Martinez a fixture at designated hitter.
Platooning the right-handed-hitting Ordonez with the left-handed-hitting Brennan Boesch would limit the wear and tear on his ankle while also giving him favorable matchups against left-handed pitching.
