Tigers notes: Nathan to pitch in Toledo on Wednesday

Joe Nathan is a couple of days away.

The Detroit Tigers right-handed reliever is scheduled to make a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Toledo today, and, if all goes well, could be activated off the 15-day disabled list as soon as Friday.

"I'm looking forward to it," Nathan said. "If that goes well. Again, I haven't really spoken to anybody as far as moving forward. But I would assume if that goes well, by Friday, we're ready to roll."

Nathan has been sidelined since April 8 with a right elbow flexor strain. He retired the only batter he faced this season, Torii Hunter, on a strikeout swinging to record the save on Opening Day.

Manager Brad Ausmus has said multiple times recently that the plan is to reinstate Nathan as the team's closer when he returns from the disabled list. When asked about that after Monday night's win over the Yankees, Ausmus said simply, "I'll worry about that when Nathan comes back."

Joakim Soria is 5-for-5 in save opportunities with Nathan out.

Nathan threw a bullpen session before Tuesday's game and was headed out onto the field to play light catch after speaking with reporters.

"I expect, just the way I felt coming in today, that all should go pretty well out there and hopefully head over to a bright and early game in Toledo tomorrow," he said.

The Mud Hens' game starts at 10:30 a.m. The Tigers gave Nathan the option to start the game but he said, "No, thank you," instead deciding to treat it as a regular routine. Kyle Ryan is scheduled to start.

Nathan is slated to throw an inning and thinks he could be one-and-done in the minor leagues before returning to the major leagues.

"I think if everything goes well, just one, but obviously it's going to all depend on how I feel," Nathan said. "But if it does go according to plan, I would think just one."

■ Four straight: Victor Martinez was in the lineup again Tuesday against the Yankees, his fourth consecutive start at designated hitter.

Martinez, who is battling soreness in his surgically repaired left knee, was in the lineup against a right-hander. He feels more soreness hitting left-handed than right-handed.

"He said he feels good," Ausmus said. "He actually looked a lot better yesterday than he did the day before."

Ausmus said the team has discussed Martinez, a switch-hitter, hitting right-handed against right-handed pitchers, but "he will not hit righty against righty. That's not going to happen. At least as of right now, it's not going to happen."

The Tigers face right-handers the rest of the week.

Ausmus termed Martinez's availability day-to-day, based on how he feels on any given day.

■ Briefly: The soreness in Justin Verlander's right triceps strain has not subsided and there is no timetable for him to throw again, Ausmus said. … Left-hander Kyle Lobstein is listed as the team's starter for Sunday's game against the Indians. … Bruce Rondon was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday.

Contact Anthony Fenech: afenech@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech.