Could Victor Martinez be an option at first base for Tigers after all?
When Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera was first placed on the disabled list with a calf injury, manager Brad Ausmus said Victor Martinez wouldn't be an option to replace him.
Apparently something has recently changed Ausmus' mind.
The second-year manager told reporters Monday that he's talked to Martinez about possibly playing first some time this season.
"I've talked to Victor about first base," Ausmus told MLive. "He's taken some ground balls at first base, as well."
Ausmus still seems reluctant to the idea, but is more open-minded about it than he was a month ago.
"We'll see," Ausmus said via MLive. "Right now, I'd say you're not going to see him at first any time soon. But I guess that could change if we become a lot more confident in his knee."
"Right now, (Krauss) is really the one guy who can play first base," Ausmus said. "He's the one true first baseman we have, and defensively, he's our best option."
Martinez said he would be willing to give it a shot at first, but he needs more time for his knee to be one hundred percent.
"I don't think this is the right time for me to go out and play first," Martinez said. "But definitely, I'd always like to go out there and play first."
