Back sooner than expected, Maybin delivers

DETROIT — Cameron Maybin picked up a bat, stepped into the batter’s box and took his swings against Jordan Zimmermann during Zimmermann’s simulated game Sunday morning. A couple of hours later, he was taking swings in a game that counted.

The Tigers activated Maybin from the 15-day disabled list before Sunday’s 10-5 victory over the Red Sox, several days sooner than expected. After weeks of bad news on the injury front, it was the first surprisingly good development for the Tigers in a while.

“We’re approaching the corner,” manager Brad Ausmus said. “I don’t know if we’re turning the corner.”

Shortstop Dixon Machado was optioned to Triple-A Toledo to make room for Maybin. Machado had been filling in for injured Jose Iglesias, but lost the starting job when the Tigers traded for Erick Aybar earlier in the week.

Maybin, who hit a two-run single Sunday, hadn’t played since Aug. 3 while dealing with a left thumb sprain that seemed unwilling to improve. Once he started swinging a bat Thursday, however, he progressed quickly.

Ausmus had originally pegged Maybin on track to return next weekend. After Maybin felt good taking batting practice in the cage Saturday, however, the timetable accelerated.

“Talking to Cam [on Saturday] night before we left, he felt like he was ready,” Ausmus said. “We had the simulated game this inning.”

It wasn’t necessarily vast physical improvement, Maybin said Sunday afternoon, so much as determination to play.

“I just wanted to play,” Maybin said. “It’s going to hurt. It’s going to feel the same on Tuesday as it did today. But sometimes you have to play through a little discomfort.”

The …

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