KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Gary Sheffield lasted just five games as a left fielder, shifting to designated hitter when the Detroit Tigers faced the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.
Sheffield, who did not play Wednesday, had right shoulder surgery during the offseason to repair a labral tear. His throwing remains restricted.
"I know his shoulder isn't right, and I didn't think it's made any better by playing the outfield," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "By his own admission, he can barely lob the ball in. We can't go on worrying if he can make a throw or if he'll have to make a throw. I can't really justify that. It's a very awkward situation with nobody really to blame. It's just one of those things."
Sheffield entered with a .202 average, two home runs and eight RBI. He has been a DH in 25 games.
"It's always going to bother me," Sheffield said of the shoulder. "Obviously, it's not as free as I would like it to be. It affected me. I worked on other things, like getting to the ball quicker, but over the course of a whole season, you're going to be tested."
With the Tigers playing this weekend at Arizona in interleague play, Detroit will lose its DH.
"I don't know if that's smart even playing him one game (in Arizona), but I hate to sit him for four out of five days and say I'm trying to get his bat going," Leyland said.
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