DETROIT -- It was June of last year when former manager Brad Ausmus finally relented, moving designated hitter Victor Martinez out of the clean-up spot in the Detroit Tigers lineup.

A year later, new manager Ron Gardenhire hasn't yet reached that point.

"You don't screw around with veterans," Gardenhire said before Friday's game. "You don't bounce them all over the place. Those are guys that are in this clubhouse and have my respect and the respect of the rest of these guys."

Martinez, who went 1-for-4 on Friday, is hitting .251/.314/.363 through 171 at-bats in 2018, a lower batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage than he had last year on June 1.

But Gardenhire said the 39-year-old Martinez is having better at-bats than his numbers give him credit for.

"He's been swinging great, honestly, left- and right-handed," Gardenhire said. "We've got a good thing going and I'm not going to screw around with him. I like him right in there because he's having quality at-bat after quality at-bat."