Could Victor Martinez Return To The Detroit Tigers Earlier Then Expected?

Published: 11th Apr 12 9:42 am
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Could Victor Martinez Return To The Detroit Tigers Earlier Then Expected?
Matthew Emmons - US Presswire

The Detroit Tigers lost Victor Martinez in the offseason, and expected him to be out for the 2012 season. This injury eventually led to the signing of Prince Fielder, who has been about as good as anybody could have asked through his first four games. However, given that Alex Avila is locked in at catcher, Martinez is likely to be traded in 2013 if Miguel Cabrera can’t handle third base. Figuring out what to do with Martinez is a nice problem to have, even if that means trading him.

However, that decision might come a little sooner then anybody expected, as Tom Gage tweets that Victor Martinez may return sometime in 2012:

New hope from #Tigers for Victor Martinez to return late this season – didn’t need ACL reconstruction – won’t know until July, though

more on #Tigers Victor Martinez – any chance of him returning late this season will be determined by MRI in July

This is fantastic news for the Tigers. Detroit is expected to dominate the AL Central, and having Martinez as the designated hitter for the playoffs would be a huge advantage. They’re currently using Ryan Raburn and Andy Dirks as the DH, and it’s pretty safe to say that Martinez would be a huge upgrade over either of them. Obviously it’s premature to expect Martinez to even be ready for the playoffs. We don’t even know if he’ll be back this year, as he’s coming off a major injury. But the fact that Martinez has a chance to return after July depending on his MRI results can only be considered fantastic news for the Tigers.

In order for this to happen, Miguel Cabrera needs to prove he can handle third base on a full time basis. Additionally, Victor Martinez will need to play some rehab games and prove that he’s capable of mashing for a team contending for a playoff spot. But if these things do happen, the Tigers could emerge as the favourites in the American League.

If Martinez is healthy for the playoffs the Tigers are going to be very scary in October. They already boast the best 3-4 combination in Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, so adding Victor Martinez to the mix can only make them that much more dangerous. This is a story worth keeping an eye on, because it has the potential to alter the balance of power in the American League.

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