ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The right thumb injury that recently kept Brennan Boesch out of three games is now forcing him to miss some more.

Boesch was removed from the game early Wednesday night and did not play Thursday afternoon in a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays due to the injury.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Boesch would not play in the series opener Friday night in Minnesota and is day-to-day.

Boesch struck out in each of his three at-bats Wednesday before coming out of the game.

“I just know the way I was swinging, I had no chance to contribute, so I took myself out after my third at-bat,” Boesch said. “Skipper knew something was going on early on. I think he probably wanted me to speak up a little earlier.”

Compensating for the thumb injury caused Boesch to develop a bicep strain, which is what is forcing him out of the lineup right now. Leyland said before the game Thursday that the prognosis didn't look very good, but he had a better feeling about the injury following the game.

“The thumb's going to be there all year,” Leyland said. “You might as well make your mind up about it's going to be there somewhat, but they'll quiet everything else down and I think he'll be OK.”

Boesch is hitting 6-for-24 (.250) with no RBIs and five runs scored since first returning to the lineup after injuring the thumb.

“I want to contribute down the stretch and I want to help this team get to the playoffs as best I can,” Boesch said. “But first things first. I've got to be healthy to do any of that.”