TORONTO -- The Tigers' first win in two weeks came at a price, at least for the next 10 days. Center fielder Leonys Martin is headed to the disabled list with a left hamstring strain after tweaking it in Sunday's 9-1 victory over the Blue Jays.
"Obviously there's something in there, and he basically asked us to put him on the DL," manager Ron Gardenhire said.
It's a similar injury to the hamstring strain that cost Martin 10 days on the DL in May, though Martin said this one is in a different part of the hamstring. Though he has stayed in the lineup for the last six weeks since returning, save for an off-day here and there, he's been dealing with tightness off and on.
"My leg has been bothering me a lot this year," Martin said. "I've been dealing a long time with this. I don't want to make it worse trying to be a hero. I want to play. I want to be ready to play in the second half, completely healthy. That's the main thing. I don't want to keep pushing and make it worse."
Martin left Sunday's game after clearly tweaking his hamstring running out a bunt single that drove in the Tigers' first run in the fifth inning. While Niko Goodrum scored from third on the play, Martin dashed to first base without a play. Along the way, though, he took a funny step nearing the bag and was clearly hobbling the rest of the way.
"We all knew something happened," Gardenhire said. "[Martin] said it was a cramp or however he described it; his cramp is different than our cramp."
Martin said he wasn't thinking about the hamstring as he laid down the bunt to the third-base side of the mound.
"I just saw the chance to score a run," Martin said. "That's what I did. I was trying to run hard to first base, and that's when I felt the cramp. Hopefully it'll get well soon."
How soon that could be, Martin wasn't sure. Though Martin would be eligible to return for the Tigers' final series before the All-Star break, a three-game series in Houston against the defending World Series champions, the Tigers could opt to use the extra time with the break to give him 2 1/2 weeks.
"We'll try to get it right." Martin said. "The soonest we can go on the DL is 10 days. I'll try to make it quick, try to be ready to come back in 10 days."
JaCoby Jones, who has been starting in left field, moved over to center once Martin left the game. Jones will likely start in center for most of the games Martin is out, since center is his natural position.
No corresponding move was announced, but shortly after the news, Michael Mahtook was scratched from Triple-A Toledo lineup just before first pitch of their Sunday night game, a strong suggestion he could be called up. Mike Gerber is the only other Mud Hens outfielder on the 40-man roster, though the Tigers could move Jose Cabrera to the 60-day disabled list to add a player. Cabrera is out for the year following surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon.