Injury Will Keep Delmon Young Out Of AL Championship Series
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Detroit Tigers slugger Delmon Young is out of the AL championship series because of an oblique injury.
Infielder Danny Worth replaced Young on the Tigers' ALCS roster released before Saturday night's series opener against defending American League champion Texas. Ryan Raburn took over as the starter in left field.
Young's injury was described as a mild strain when he left Game 5 of the AL division series against the Yankees on Thursday night. But the way Young brusquely dismissed even the most basic questions Friday fueled questions about his availability for the series against the Rangers.
Young hit .274 with eight homers and 32 RBIs in 40 games for Detroit after being acquired from Minnesota in August. Over five games against the Yankees, the Tigers' regular No. 3 hitter was 6 for 19 with three home runs. He was the first player in franchise history with three homers in a single postseason series.
Raburn was set to bat second for Game 1 against the Rangers, with first baseman Miguel Cabrera moving up to the No. 3 spot in the batting order.
Raburn, who also replaced Young in left field on Thursday night, was 2 for 5 in the AL division series after hitting .256 with 14 homers and 49 RBIs in 121 games during the regular season. Rayburn is another right-hander for Detroit against the Rangers rotation that has three left-handed starters.
Young said the problem flared up while taking a swing. He didn't think it was that serious, so he went to the outfield to warm up for the next inning and realized that he couldn't throw.
Worth hit .270 in 30 games during the regular season and didn't play in the ALDS against the Yankees.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
