According to Leyland, it came down to having off days the next two Mondays. Because of that, Justin Verlander was scheduled to start Wednesday at Kansas City with an extra day of rest, then would've had another extra day of rest before his next start. The decision was that it's best to keep Verlander on his normal routine.

"We need to get Verlander going," said Leyland, who added that Verlander feels fine.

This decision seemingly backs up the idea of Verlander's shoulder being fine. If he was hurting, or even a little more sore, it would be hard to imagine him turning down an extra day of rest for two turns.

Instead of Galarraga starting Tuesday's series opener at Kansas City, he won't pitch again until next Saturday at Arizona. Everyone else will move up a day to take advantage of the off-day. Thus, it'll be Verlander, Rogers and Bonderman at Kansas City, then Robertson, Galarraga and Verlander at Arizona.

He threw a successful bullpen session today and is now set to resume his rehab assignment for the Mud Hens with a start Tuesday at Columbus. He'll then rejoin the Tigers in Kansas City to work with pitching coach Chuck Hernandez before starting again for the Hens the following Sunday at Columbus. Where it goes from there isn't clear yet, but take notice that Willis is starting on the same days as Armando Galarraga and you can figure out where he might slot in.

As for the lineup today, it's all right-handers as expected against lefty Kei Igawa. Pudge returns to the leadoff spot, while Ryan Raburn bats ninth and plays center field. Here's the full lineup:

1. Rodriguez, C
2. Polanco, 2B
3. Guillen, 3B
4. Ordonez, RF
5. Cabrera, 1B
6. Sheffield, LF
7. Renteria, SS
8. Thames, DH
9. Raburn, CF

For the Yankees:

1. Melky Cabrera, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Hideki Matsui, LF
5. Shelley Duncan, 1B
6. Jason Giambi, DH
7. Wilson Betemit, 3B
8. Robinson Cano, 2B
9. Chad Moeller, C

He gets a much-needed rest tonight with Ramon Santiago starting in his place. It's something Jim Leyland says he might a little more often now to keep Renteria fresh. Gary Sheffield is off as scheduled, with Matt Joyce back in the field in left. Marcus Thames gets the first of what should be at least two straight games.

Here's the Tigers lineup:

1. Granderson, CF
2. Polanco, 2B
3. Guillen, 3B
4. Ordonez, RF
5. Cabrera, 1B
6. Joyce, LF
7. Thames, DH
8. Inge, C
9. Santiago, SS

For the Red Sox:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. J.D. Drew, RF
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Coco Crisp, CF
9. Julio Lugo, SS

So why pinch-run for somebody who just legged out an infield hit? Leyland said after the game that he had discussed it with Gene Lamont earlier. The thinking was that Raburn is a little faster, but also more experienced. He was less likely to be tentative, Leyland said, and Lamont knows him better and could feel more confident sending him around.

As for why Renteria wasn't bunting to get the runner over to second, Leyland said he didn't want to play for the tie, not with Boston's offense and with limited options remaining in the Tigers bullpen. Todd Jones would not have come out for the 10th had the game gone to extras.

I know, on the surface, having Matt Joyce at DH while Gary Sheffield in left looks crazy. But Leyland wanted to give Sheffield three straight days in the field before a day off, and he wanted to put Magglio back in right. That left Joyce as the DH for tonight, assuming they play.

Right now, it looks like they'll wait it out. The radar looks like it should clear before too late in the evening. Since this is the only time the Red Sox are in town, and they travel to Minnesota after Thursday's game, they have plenty of motivation to try to get it in.

Here's the Tigers lineup:

1. Granderson, CF
2. Polanco, 2B
3. Guillen, 3B
4. Ordonez, RF
5. Cabrera, 1B
6. Sheffield, LF
7. Joyce, DH
8. Renteria, SS
9. Rodriguez, C

And for the Red Sox:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Jed Lowrie, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youklilis, 1B
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Julio Lugo, SS

That didn't take long. The Marlins and Padres have shown interest in ex-Tiger Jacque Jones, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. It continues a long-running interest from the Marlins in Jones, whom they nearly traded for last summer. From the story:

Jones was designated for assignment on Monday. If the Marlins move in quickly on the outfielder, a deal could be worked out in the next day or two.

The Padres, according to a second source, also have inquired about Jones.

It's hard to envision anyone trading for Jones with his salary when they could wait a while and grab him as a free agent for the minimum, leaving the Tigers to pick up the rest.

He won't be doing it today, but Brandon Inge is going to be going behind the plate a little more, according to Jim Leyland. He'd suggested that before, but Inge went to Leyland late last week and told him that he was happy catching and was willing to embrace the spot.

"I think he'll fall more into the catching mode here shortly," Leyland said today, "and may start getting more playing time."

Is it a balancing act with an eye towards 2009?

For today, Inge is at third for lefty Nate Robertson, with Carlos Guillen getting a day at DH. Here's the full lineup the Tigers will send up against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield:

1. Granderson, CF
2. Polanco, 2B
3. Guillen, DH (he'll bat right-handed vs. Wakefield oops ... never mind)
   
4. Ordonez, RF
5. Cabrera, 1B
6. Sheffield, LF
7. Renteria, SS
8. Rodriguez, C
9. Inge, 3B

For the Red Sox:

1. Coco Crisp, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. J.D. Drew, RF
8. Kevin Cash, C
9. Julio Lugo, SS

1. Jacque Jones designated for assignment.
2. Matt Joyce called up from Toledo and is in RF.
3. Sheffield is batting sixth and playing in LF, the latter per his request.
4. Carlos Guillen will hit third.
5. Magglio is still batting cleanup, but is DHing again today and will probably do that part-time while splitting time in RF.

Got all that? OK, here's the lineup:

1. Granderson, CF
2. Polanco, 2B
3. Guillen, 3B
4. Ordonez, DH
5. Cabrera, 1B
6. Sheffield, LF
7. Joyce, RF
8. Renteria, SS
9. Rodriguez, C

Whoever wrote on here that they noticed Dontrelle Willis favoring his knee in Toledo on Friday was onto something. Apparently Willis aggravated his right knee when he fielded a ball along the third-base line during his rehab start. He threw his bullpen session this morning, but he will not start for the Mud Hens on Wednesday. Instead, he'll throw a side session Friday or Saturday, and doctors and trainers will evaluate him from there.

As a formality, the Tigers have recalled Willis from his rehab assignment. That stops the clock on the 30 days he has to pitch in the Minors before he has to be activated from the DL.

UPDATE @ 5:30pm ET: Dontrelle says he did not tweak his knee. He said the Tigers are doing this as a precautionary measure to make sure he doesn't to anything to hurt his arm. He said he threw his full bullpen session Sunday morning, but that he felt the same soreness in the knee that he has been feeling.