VIERA, Fla. — Jose Iglesias will be out four to six months because of stress fractures in both legs.

The Detroit Tigers shortstop was examined by Dr. Thomas Clanton, a foot and ankle specialist on Tuesday, and is scheduled to be reevaluated in four months.

Speaking before the Tigers played the Washington Nationals in Viera on Thursday, general manager Dave Dombrowski indicated the team is preparing to play the season without Iglesias.

“(He could) perhaps be back later in the year, but in my thought process that’s more unlikely than likely at this point,” Dombrowski said, adding he has been assured Iglesias will be ready to play next season.

Iglesias will be relegated to non-weight bearing exercises and upper-body conditioning for four to six months. He is also undergoing more tests to help determine why the stress fractures did not heal during the offseason.

Dombrowski said Iglesias played with the condition last year while he was with the Boston Red Sox and has X-rays, MRIs and even bone scans. They all showed Iglesias was having a stress reaction.