Anthony Fenech

Detroit Free Press

OAKLAND, Calif. – Brad Ausmus was watching.

He was sitting inside the visiting manager’s office at the Oakland Coliseum this afternoon, answering questions from reporters while glued to the computer screen following J.D. Martinez’s minor league injury rehabilitation start on Minor League Baseball’s official gamecast.

In the third at-bat of his second start with Class A Lakeland, Martinez hit a home run.

“Live,” Ausmus said. “You guys get that live.”

Martinez started in rightfield and was scheduled to play five to seven innings in rightfield. And by the sounds of it, there’s a chance his return to the Tigers could come by the end of their nine-game road trip, which concludes a week from Sunday.

According to Ausmus, Martinez will join Triple-A Toledo on Monday.

“Tomorrow, kind of a travel day and then play with Toledo, assuming everything goes well,” Ausmus said. “Assuming he didn’t re-injure his foot rounding the bases on a home run.”

As of press time, Martinez was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer. He went 2-for-4 in his first game with the Flying Tigers on Friday night.

Ausmus said Martinez will probably alternate between designated hitter and rightfield for a short period of time – perhaps three or four days – and progress toward a full nine innings in rightfield.

How many innings he plays defensively with the Mud Hens in Gwinett, Ga., on Monday will depend on how many innings he played today on Saturday and how his right foot feels.

Martinez has been sidelined since March 18 with a sprained Lisfranc ligament in the right foot. The timetable of 3-5 weeks the Tigers set has since passed – Friday was the six-week mark – but Martinez has not suffered any setbacks.

Ausmus said he would prefer Martinez to play back-to-back nine inning games in rightfield before activating him from the disabled list.

STILL OUT: Second baseman Ian Kinsler was out of the starting lineup for the third consecutive game today against the Athletics with left hamstring tightness.

For the second straight day, Kinsler was a game-time decision.

“I’m inclined to just wait until the off-day to be honest with you,” Ausmus said. “Just play it safe.”

Related:

Tigers' Ian Kinsler (hamstring) out tonight vs. A's; 'getting close'

Kinsler left Wednesday’s loss against the Indians with left hamstring tightness. He said on Friday afternoon that he felt like he was close, and Ausmus said a day later that if this was the stretch run of the season, he likely would be playing through the injury.

The Tigers have an off-day on Monday before starting a two-game set with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, which looks like it could be Kinsler’s return to the field.

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