Maybin to begin 2nd rehab stint; return nears

April 20th, 2016

KANSAS CITY -- Cameron Maybin's rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo is officially over as his left wrist recovers from a hit-by-pitch on Sunday. The Tigers recalled Maybin on Wednesday and left him on the DL, but the injured outfielder could actually be closer to a return.
Maybin, on the 15-day disabled list since Opening Day with a fractured left wrist suffered on a Luis Severino fastball in a Spring Training game vs. the Yankees on March 1, took another pitch off the wrist Sunday. However, X-rays came back negative.
"Unless something strange happens, he'll play again [at Toledo] on Saturday," manager Brad Ausmus said Wednesday afternoon.
The recall is a procedural move, allowing the Tigers to technically start him on a new rehab assignment when he returns to action Saturday. That gives him another 20 days to rehab before the Tigers have to make a move with him, but Ausmus doesn't anticipate Maybin needing nearly that long to be ready.
"We didn't have a day picked out [for his return], but he was close [before the injury]," Ausmus said. "I don't think he's going to need a ton of days."
Maybin, who was expected to compete with Anthony Gose for playing time in center field before the injury, was batting 8-for-37 (.216) on rehab with four walks and seven strikeouts between Toledo and Class A Advanced Lakeland.
Norris takes rehab to Toledo
Daniel Norris, on the 15-day disabled list since Opening Day while recovering from a left lumbar spinal fracture, made his third appearance in his Minor League rehab assignment, and his first for Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday afternoon. The young lefty gave up five runs on six hits over four innings, with three walks and six strikeouts.
All five runs came in a five-hit second inning, a rally that began with a one-out walk.
McCann begins throwing
Injured Tigers catcher James McCann, who went on the 15-day disabled list last week with a sprained right ankle, was scheduled to begin throwing Wednesday as he picked up his activity. He had been hitting soft-toss pitches in the batting cage.

It doesn't necessarily mean McCann is ahead of schedule on the 2-4 week timeframe the Tigers gave upon McCann being injured, but Ausmus said it wouldn't surprise him if McCann is ready to return when he's eligible to come off the15-day DL on April 27.
Quick hits
• Logan Kensing, designated for assignment on Monday to make room for Blaine Hardy's return from the DL, cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Toledo on Wednesday. The 33-year-old right-hander made the Opening Day roster in Detroit's bullpen when Hardy and Alex Wilson opened the year on the DL.
• Reliever Jeff Ferrell, out since late February recovering from a right rotator cuff impingement, began his Minor League rehab assignment with a scoreless inning for Lakeland on Tuesday.