CHICAGO -- If some of the foreboding scenes involving injured players over the past two days were as bad as they looked, the Tigers would have a longer disabled list and a lot more worries.
Luckily for Detroit, perception is not always reality, and minor injuries are not becoming major ones.
After Tuesday's 11-8 win against the White Sox, utility man Mike Aviles walked out of the clubhouse headed for an X-ray on the left wrist he injured diving for a ground ball in the eighth inning, causing him to leave the game.
Aviles was accompanied by a Tigers trainer and designated hitter Victor Martinez, who had missed the past two days with right knee soreness.
Aviles' X-ray did not reveal a break, and he said after the game he thought he would be OK. Tigers general manager Al Avila said he stayed at U.S. Cellular Field until 1 a.m. CT mulling possible roster moves. But Wednesday, Aviles got to the ballpark early to swing in the cages. The wrist felt fine, and Aviles was in Wednesday's starting lineup.
"I watched him hit, and within two swings he looked completely normal," manager Brad Ausmus said. "He may feel something in there, but it's not showing. He says he's fine."
Martinez was not in the lineup Wednesday, but Avila said Martinez had a cortisone shot in the knee and he should be able to DH as soon as Thursday.
"It's one of those things where it's maintenance on the knee," Avila said. "As long as he's able to walk up there and swing the bat, he'll continue to do that."
Left-hander Justin Wilson also had a wrap around his left elbow in the clubhouse on Wednesday. Wilson has not pitched the past two days after giving up one run on two hits Sunday against the Yankees.
Wilson said he had more soreness in the elbow than usual the next day, and he and Ausmus agreed extra rest was the best way to go.
"Like we need Victor the whole season, if we need to sit Justin a couple days to keep him healthy, I'd rather do that than instead of having to miss them for 15," Ausmus said.
Wilson said he was available to pitch Wednesday and that the injury was nothing serious.