Official: Peralta To Left Field, Porcello To Bullpen
By Dan Jenkins
After much speculation Jim Leyland announced Friday that Jhonny Peralta will play left field for the last three games of the regular season against the Marlins. Leyland also announced that starting pitcher Rick Porcello will make the transition to the Tigers' bullpen for the postseason.
Peralta will make his return to the team following a 50 game suspension after being linked to the Biogenesis scandal. Peralta will play left field and bat fifth in the lineup, giving Victor Martinez a night off.
Before the suspension, Peralta batted .305 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs in 104 games. The Tigers experimented with Peralta in left field we he returned to play of the Lakeland Flying Tigers earlier this week.
Porcello posted a 13-8 record and a 4.38 ERA this season. He made one appearance out of the bullpen early in the season on April 14 and pitched two scoreless innings against the Oakland Athletics.
Leyland still has yet to reveal what his starting rotation will look like during the postseason or who will get the nod as the number one starter against a likely opponent in Oakland.
