Tigers Catcher Avila Out Of Lineup Against ChiSox
CHICAGO (AP) — Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila is out of the starting lineup Monday against the White Sox after he collided with teammate Prince Fielder while chasing a foul ball a day earlier.
Avila and Fielder converged on the foul ball near the first base dugout in the sixth inning at Cleveland on Sunday and Fielder's elbow hit Avila in the jaw, sending the catcher stumbling backward before he fell to the ground. The Tigers lost 7-6.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Avila was available to play or pinch-hit in Monday's makeup game against Chicago, which leads Detroit by two games in the AL Central.
Center fielder Austin Jackson is back in Detroit's lineup and leading off after sitting out Sunday with a sore left knee.
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