Pelfrey was placed on the 15-day DL on Tuesday with a lower-back strain, Matthew Mowery of the Oakland Press reports.

Pelfrey had been scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday, and he may still do so, but this move will allow the Tigers to keep Matt Boyd in the rotation for now and activate J.D. Martinez from the DL on Wednesday. The veteran righty has hardly done enough to justify sticking in the rotation, even when healthy, as he has a 4.76 ERA and a 52:46 K:BB in 115.1 innings. If Boyd, and perhaps more importantly, Anibal Sanchez can continue to pitch fairly well while Pelfrey is sidelined, he could struggle to regain a spot in the rotation when he is activated.