Chris McCosky

The Detroit News

Anaheim, Calif. — You know when managers and coaches say that things always find a way to work themselves out?

This is what they mean:

The Tigers were prepared to let right fielder J.D. Martinez stay on his rehab assignment with the Toledo Mud Hens through the weekend. But, in the last round of batting practice before Thursday’s game here in Anaheim, outfielder Jim Adduci injured his right oblique.

Thus, what would have been a tough decision — whom to send down when Martinez came back — became a no-brainer.

“Maybe this is a couple of days early for J.D.,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “It’s maybe not perfect. But we’re glad to have J.D. back, though we didn’t want to see Adduci go on the DL. But it’s the move that we had to make, that should be made.”

Martinez, who hit a home run for the Mud Hens on Thursday, flew to Durham fully intending to play in the weekend series. He was rerouted to Anaheim after Adduci got hurt.

“Ideally, J.D. would have gone a couple more games with Toledo,” Ausmus said. “But he’s got over 50 at-bats between his rehab assignments (at Lakeland and Toledo) and extended spring training. That’s quite a few at-bats.”

Martinez sprained the Lisfranc ligament in his right foot late in spring training. Ausmus said he will ease him in, tentatively having him start Friday and be off Saturday.

“The report is he feels fine moving around,” he said. “There might be some residual soreness in the foot. But he feels fine moving around.”

It’s a tough break for Adduci, who hit .318 in 13 games with the Tigers. Most likely, the choice was between him or Mikie Mahtook to be sent down when Martinez came back.

“We’re anxious to have J.D. back,” said Michael Fulmer, who pitched a seven-inning gem in the Tigers’ 7-1 win over the Angels Thursday. “Obviously, we want him to be healthy first. But we’ll be happy when he’s back, having that bat in the lineup.”

Twitter.com: @cmccosky