LOS ANGELES — With the Detroit Tigers on a five-game interleague road trip to Los Angeles and San Diego this week, first-year manager Brad Ausmus had some juggling to do.
The designated hitter is out for the week, so Ausmus started Victor Martinez at first base Tuesday with Miguel Cabrera moving back across the diamond for his first start at third base this year. Martinez’s ninth-inning single tied the game, but the Dodgers won 3-2 in 10 innings.
With Detroit pitchers batting, Ausmus moved left fielder Rajai Davis from the bottom of the order — he batted ninth in each of his three starts last week — to the top.
“In the American League, obviously, the pitcher is not hitting, so you can hit Rajai ninth and he becomes a catalyst at the top of the lineup (when it turns over),” Ausmus said. “Here, with the pitcher, it’s a different story.”
With Davis batting leadoff, Ausmus moved the rest of the lineup down a spot — second baseman Ian Kinsler moved to second, right fielder Torii Hunter to third, Cabrera to cleanup and Martinez to fifth.
“I spoke to both Miggy and Victor about slotting down,” Ausmus said. “They were both good with it. They both understood. I talked to Kinsler about it and Torii — all the guys who moved down, and they were all on board. No issue, and hopefully (Davis) works as a catalyst in this spot as well.”
Davis wound up 1-for-4.
Ausmus would not say how many of the Tigers’ five interleague games this week will feature Tuesday’s setup, preferring to see how the pitching matchups in Dodger Stadium and Petco Park play out.