DETROIT – It has been nine months since Carlos Guillen last played in a baseball game and eight months since he had microfracture surgery on his injured left knee.

But the end of a long rehabilitation process appears to be in sight.

On Friday, Guillen made his first visit to Comerica Park of the season and said his knee is “getting close.”

Guillen felt like he cleared a hurdle when the knee felt good Friday, a day after he went through a full baseball workout.

“I ran the bases hard yesterday and swung from both sides of the plate,” he said. “It doesn't bother me today. We'll see tomorrow how it feels, but that's a good sign for me.”

Guillen, who has been going through the rehabilitation process in Florida, did some rehabilitation work in Tampa on Friday morning before traveling to Detroit to see some family and work out with the team. He participated in batting practice and seemed relieved to be in familiar surroundings in the clubhouse.

Guillen will continue to work out with the team this weekend before returning to Tampa on Sunday. He said there is no timetable for his return to game action but that he expects to play for the Tigers this season.

Kevin Rand, the team's head athletic trainer, said there is no timetable in place but that Guillen is doing well.

“He's encouraged,” Rand said. “He's feeling a lot better. He's starting to make some strides again and hopefully we'll be get a chance to get a little bit closer to a timetable pretty soon.”