Price injures hamstring after tripping over bat

DETROIT -- A career high in hits allowed wasn't the worst news of the night for Tigers ace David Price, who left Friday's walk-off win over the Royals with a hamstring injury.

Price overcame a four-run fourth inning to pitch into the seventh before three straight one-out singles pulled the Royals in front. It also put a bat in Price's eventual path when Alex Gordon singled home Eric Hosmer.

Home-plate umpire Alan Porter tossed Gordon's bat out of the home-plate area to avoid any potential contact with Hosmer. At nearly the same time, Price was running to back up home and ended up where the bat landed.

Video: KC@DET: Price, Ausmus on the ace's injury

"I stepped on the bat with my heel," Price said, "then it rolled toward the front of my foot. Felt like it kind of hyperextended my leg a little bit."

Price immediately hopped around in pain. He threw a few warmup pitches to test his leg, but he was in considerable discomfort, hunching over on the back of the mound. He left the game but stayed on the dugout bench, his right leg extended.

Price allowed 13 hits over 6 1/3 innings.

"He had allowed three straight hits. He had the righty coming up. I probably would've given him one more hitter," manager Brad Ausmus said.

Price wasn't ready to put a timetable on how much, if any, time he might miss.

"It's nothing I've ever been through before," Price said, "so I guess we'll find out more tomorrow."

Asked about his level of anxiousness, manager Brad Ausmus said, "Any injury is concerning, especially when you're talking about the ace of your staff. But I think I'm less concerned now than I was when I was in the dugout while he was upstairs getting treated, now that I know what the diagnosis is."

Any time lost for Price would be another test for a Tigers rotation that has already had to get along this season without the services of Justin Verlander, out since the final week of Spring Training with a right triceps strain. Kyle Lobstein has filled in effectively for Verlander, but the Tigers would likely have to dip back into their reserves at Triple-A Toledo to fill in for Price -- possibly with former fifth-round Draft pick Buck Farmer, who made two fill-in starts last August.

Detroit could also take advantage of Monday's off-day to skip Price's spot until next weekend. The Tigers could go with four starters until next Saturday.