DETROIT -- The Tigers will need a starter for Saturday as Anibal Sanchez has suffered a setback in his recovery.
Sanchez, who was placed on the disabled list Aug. 9 with a right pectoralis strain, was throwing Monday when he felt pain.
"He went quite a ways," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "He actually backed up to about 150 feet, was throwing good, felt good. Then came back in at 60 feet to do a little flat ground, bullpen-type thing. It wasn't until he threw a change-up that he felt it."
Sanchez said he felt fine until that point.
"I threw just one pitch, yeah, because that kind of sore, you throw one pitch, and as soon as I feel, I knew I have to stop, because I can't even move my arm," Sanchez said.
Sanchez said the pain after throwing the change-up was like the pain when he first suffered the injury in Toronto.
"It's really hard to explain that kind of pain," Sanchez said. "It's something like when you got a needle inside you, and you try to move it -- that's the pain, like that. It really hurt. It's nothing like what I feel when I had my shoulder or elbow issue before. This kind of pain kill me when I feel it."
However, Sanchez had an ultrasound Tuesday and was encouraged by the results.
"I think it's pretty good news," Sanchez said. "Everything is pretty good -- I've just got a problem with the scar tissue inside. That's what tore (Monday) when I'm playing catch, and that's what I feel right now."
With just over a month left in the season, Sanchez was asked if he was concerned he might not pitch again before the end of the regular season.
"Especially with the situation we are right now, of course I'm concerned," Sanchez said. "I don't like being on the bench, just seeing everything happen. I know the team is going to do very well, we're going to start playing better. Personally, I'm a very competitive person, and I like being on the mound all of the time."
Because the injury is a little unusual for a baseball player, the Tigers are being cautious with Sanchez.
"Right now, just wait until I got a full range of motion, and pain free, nothing bother me," Sanchez said. "When this happens, I start to throw again. It depends on how fast I heal. It's nothing like they're going to say, 'OK, you're going to wait for two weeks, or one weeks.' It's how fast my body can heal up.
"I don't know when, but hopefully I'm going to be healthy at some point."
Ausmus said he was not in favor of having a start using all relievers so the Tigers will have to call someone up for Saturday's game in Chicago.
