Iglesias out with non-displaced fracture in finger

DETROIT -- What was hoped to be a bruised right middle finger for Jose Iglesias now looks like a fracture that could end his season. Follow-up exams on the Tigers shortstop taken Friday revealed a non-displaced small fracture of a bone in the finger.

Iglesias will be sidelined for at least the next two weeks, after which he'll be re-evaluated. By that point, the Tigers will have just over two weeks left in their season.

"At best it was probably going to be a week anyway," manager Brad Ausmus said after Friday's 8-1 loss to the Indians, "but after the CT scan, it's gonna be at least two."

Asked if he thought Iglesias will play again this season, Ausmus said he couldn't answer that.

"All I can tell you right now," he said, "is two weeks from now they'll re-check it and make a decision."

Iglesias suffered the injury on a fouled bunt attempt Thursday night, sending him to the ground in obvious pain after a 95 mph fastball from the Royals' Edinson Volquez hit the top of his middle finger. X-rays taken afterward showed no sign of major structural damage, raising initial hopes that he had dodged a more serious injury. However, Iglesias said the pain had gotten worse overnight as the finger swelled up, something the Tigers were seemingly able to limit Thursday night in the immediate aftermath of the injury.

"Actually, today is worse than [Thursday]," Iglesias said. "It's a little swollen, a little sore."

It's an important finger for him at the plate as well as in the field, which was part of the reason for the caution.

"Every finger's important to hit," Iglesias said. "Unfortunately, it's my throwing hand as well, but to hit you need all of them healthy. I don't think you can cheat with a finger, hitting-wise, at least I don't know [of a way]. Maybe if it's another one you can work your way around. But it just feels sore."

Iglesias was not available for comment after the results, but The Tigers called up Dixon Machado from Triple-A Toledo on Friday, before the extent of the injury was known. The shortstop prospect is expected to share starts with utility infielder Andrew Romine. Machado started at shortstop on Friday and doubled and scored the Tigers' only run in the loss to Cleveland.

Video: CLE@DET: Machado robs Kipnis with a diving grab

Essentially, that starts what now becomes an extended audition.

Video: CLE@DET: Miggy lines an RBI single to left in the 6th

"Machy looked good," Ausmus said. "He had a real solid year in Toledo. We always had known he's a solid defender. He started hitting the last couple years. Nice double tonight, for sure, and he'll probably get quite a bit more playing time now with Iglesias being out with a broken finger."