Detroit Tigers: Justin Upton’s left knee contusion not serious

After a scary left knee contusion in the opener, Justin Upton is back in the lineup for the Detroit Tigers.

Justin Upton is back in the lineup, batting fifth and playing left field for the Detroit Tigers. This is their second game of the year against the Chicago White Sox and the Tigers-White Sox series has had two of its four games postponed so far.

That afforded Upton a chance to heal after a scare in Game 1. Upton went 1-3 with a run scored in Detroit’s 6-3 win in the opener.

Upton has been a model of consistency, playing in 150 games minimum for each of the last six seasons. There is no reason to think he will not bounce back from this minor injury. But at his age, 30, this injury is a bit more of a cause for concern. He is already a ten-year veteran and though he had his worst batting average in his career last seaason, Upton tied his personal high in home runs with 31, hitting after Cabrera and Martinez.

Will Melvin Upton Jr. join his brother in Detroit?

After being released by the Blue Jays, Melvin Upton Jr. Is an option for Detroit in the outfield. Justin and Melvin have played together a number of times in the past, and this would be the third time that they are on the same team together. Justin is the better brother, a career .268 hitter, averaging close to 25 home runs per year and 80 RBIs while playing a pretty good outfield. If Melvin joins Justin in Detroit, he will be the fifth or sixth outfielder in the lineup.