DETROIT -- Red Sox second baseman Brock Holt avoided serious injury during Friday's 1-0 win against the Tigers after he was spiked on the right knee by Jeimer Candelario during a close play at second base.
Holt sustained a right knee contusion on the play in the fourth inning, forcing him out of the game. But it sounds like a stint on the disabled list won't be necessary.
"Probably day by day. I think [Candelario] probably spiked him and that was it. No big deal," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "Just in the training room. No X-rays. Nothing scheduled. We'll see how he reacts tomorrow and where he's at, and we go from there."
Boston is expected to get third baseman Rafael Devers back from the disabled list for Saturday's game, so that will lessen the burden if Holt has to miss a couple of days.
Eduardo Nunez had been filling in for Devers at third. Nunez can go back to second base with Devers back in the mix.
Initially, it looked like Holt might have been seriously injured.
On a fly ball to left field by John Hicks, Andrew Benintendi made the catch and fired home. Candelario thought Niko Goodrum was going to tag up from third base and try to score, so Candelario tagged and went to third.
Benintendi's throw home was way off the mark to the third-base side, and pitcher David Price backed it up. Price made sure Goodrum stayed at third, and he then fired to second in pursuit of the back-tracking Candelario.
As Candelario slid back in safely, he inadvertently spiked Holt, who was on the ground in agony for a bit.
Cora and a member of the training staff came out to check on Holt, who eventually got up but was still in pain.
As Holt walked off the field gingerly, he had his pant leg pulled above his right knee.
Tzu-Wei Lin replaced him.
Second base is a position the Red Sox aren't particularly deep at.
Dustin Pedroia, who has played just three games for the Red Sox this season, remains out indefinitely. Nunez and Holt have been getting the playing time at second base.
Brandon Phillips, a veteran of 16 Major League seasons, is currently at Triple-A Pawtucket. The Red Sox signed him to a Minor League deal last month and would prefer not to rush him until he has had the equivalent of a full Spring Training.