ST. PETERSBURG – After Sunday’s come-from-behind 5-3 win,
Jim Leyland’s starting rotation shrunk from six to five.

Coming off a Saturday outing when he gave up six runs in
just 2 1/3 innings of work, the Tigers’ skipper announced that Armando
Galarraga was going to be used out of the bullpen and Nate Robertson would continue
to be a starter.

Sunday starter Edwin Jackson will be given an extra day of
rest and start on Saturday, and Robertson will go in the series opener against
the Blue Jays on Friday.

How long Robertson will go on as the starter is still
unknown, but Leyland isn’t looking at it as a one-shot deal.

“I am thinking Galarraga is out of the rotation and maybe
Nate can go on,” Leyland said. “I’m hoping [Robertson is] pretty fresh, and
that can be big for us. But I’m not going to start Galarraga at this time.”

Galarraga, battling some right elbow inflammation, was
originally slated to start for Triple-A Toledo on Friday but started in the big
leagues on Saturday so Jarrod Washburn could rest his balky left knee.

Leyland said prior to Sunday’s game that he didn’t think
anything was physically wrong with Galarraga, but after he gave up four hits
and three walks and threw 54 pitches before even getting out of the third, he
knew it was time to make a change.

“I just don’t think things are totally right,” Leyland said.
“At this juncture, I’m not planning on starting him – at this juncture. But
saying that, maybe a little more rest, we can tinker around in the bullpen a
little bit there, depending on Washburn. We’ve still got some things up in the
air, so I can’t set anything in stone, but my intention right now is not to
start him.”

– Alden Gonzalez