Tigers' Fister has 'groin issue'

DETROIT — Just when the Tigers thought their season-long injury woes were coming to an end, another one has cropped up.
Manager Jim Leyland revealed before Tuesday's game that Doug Fister is dealing with a "groin issue."
"He underwent an MRI yesterday at the DMC and it showed that he's got an adductor strain, just what we had diagnosed on Sunday," athletic trainer Kevin Rand said. "So it's just treat it, get him right."
Although Fister initially felt it on his third warmup pitch before his start on Sunday, he pitched anyway.
"He said he was all right, obviously," Leyland said. "We checked in in the second inning and he was all right. That's one of those Catch 22s, you know?"
Fister did not want to speculate on whether he'd make his next start, scheduled for Saturday.
"It's tight today, so we're treating it as we need to, and we're going to kind of play it by ear," Fister said. "No, it doesn't affect pitching off the rubber at all.
"That was the thing, why I was able to continue to pitch and be able to get through it."
Fister lasted just 3 2/3 innings against Baltimore Sunday, allowing seven runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out six.
"I felt it just really pitching," Fister said. "Like Jim said, third warmup pitch going into the game, I felt something, and it's just the same ever since.
"It's still in one of those stages where it's still tight, but I haven't tried to stress it at all yet, so we're just trying to take it slow."
Although Fister was able to pitch through it, Rand said it did affect him.
"In his case, it didn't bother him to push off, but it did bother him following through and finishing his pitch," Rand said. "So that's what we've got to get him comfortable doing."
Rand said they're treating Fister with ice and electric stimulation, hoping that the tightness will ease up. Fister said he planned to try to do some on-field work to see how it felt.
"We'll go out there, play catch, even get off the mound, go as far as we feel it can and just play it by ear," he said.
While the Tigers play the waiting game, Leyland didn't say who the Tigers might call up if Fister can't pitch.
"I can assure you that we will have a pitcher in his spot," Leyland said. "Either him or somebody else. Right now, I can't give you any information."