Pelfrey, Norris to face Marlins; no decision on Sanchez

Detroit — No decision has been made regarding Anibal Sanchez’s future in the Tigers’ starting rotation.

“We haven’t gotten into that yet,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said before the game.

He has settled on his starters for this week’s two-game set with Miami. Mike Pelfrey will go on three days of rest Tuesday and Daniel Norris will go on five days rest on Wednesday.

“Pelfrey only threw 47 pitches (on Friday),” Ausmus said. “He started, had three days rest, threw 47 pitches, get three days rest and start. He should be all right.”

Pelfrey concurred.

“I’ve done it before,” he said. “I’m feeling fine.”

He’s actually survived a much more strenuous stint in 2010.

“I started a day game, then threw my bullpen a couple days later — and back then I was throwing 70-pitch bullpens,” he said. “I threw my bullpen before the game and then the game went 20-some innings and I pitched in the game, too.

“And then I pitched again in two days.”

Pelfrey rescued both starter Jordan Zimmermann and the bullpen on Friday, giving the team 4 1/3 scoreless innings.

“My splitter was pretty good,” he said. “It had been a thing where the last three or four outings it hadn’t been very good.

That’s a secondary pitch I need.”

Back on task

As for Norris, he’s just relieved to be able to set up his regular between-starts routine.

“That’s really important to me; having a routine and sticking to it,” he said. “That’s the way we were raised in baseball. You get a routine and stick to it, right down to the minute. I like that.”

Everything was up in the air on Saturday when late in the game he was asked to start throwing in the bullpen. Normally, he would have thrown a side session before the game but pitching coach Rich Dubee told him to hold off in case he was needed in relief.

“They said it was just in case of emergency,” Norris said. “Then late in the game they called down and told me to get my side (session) in.”

Everything worked out and he is on point for Wednesday.

The rotation for the series in Tampa starting Thursday is still up in the air. Presumably Zimmermann will start Thursday and Justin Verlander on Friday. The tentative plan was to have rookie Michael Fulmer start one of the games against the Rays.

That, obviously, is not set in stone.

No Moya again

Baseball is a demanding game and one of the things it demands is that players play through daily aches and pains.

Steven Moya was in the starting lineup on Saturday but asked to be removed because he felt some soreness in his right knee. No tests were deemed necessary. He said before the game that the knee felt better, but he was still kept out of the lineup Sunday.

“We have an off day tomorrow,” Ausmus said. “If a guy is complaining of a knee issue, why play him?”

Mike Aviles started in right field again Sunday.

Around the horn

The three Tigers runs on Sunday were supplied by former Indians. Mike Aviles homered in the third inning, giving the club its only lead in nine games against the Indians. And Victor Martinez homered twice, his 13th and 14th of the season.

Twitter: @cmccosky

Twitter @cmccosky