Detroit Tigers

Dirks is batting .302 (19 for 63) with a .556 slugging percentage, one triple, two doubles, two stolen bases, four walks, 10 RBI and 11 runs in his last 16 games. His average has gone from .200 to .252 in that span.

Has the Tigers' young contact pitcher suddenly learned to miss bats? Over those four starts, Porcello has posted a 9 percent whiff rate that is above his norm, but outings against the Astros and Braves have helped to boost that mark. Those two squads just happen to have the lowest contact rates in the majors, according to FanGraphs.com.

I'll need to see a longer string of high-strikeout starts from Porcello before I see him as a viable standard mixed league option who can help with Ks.

That said, Tigers skipper Jim Leyland backed the slumping Avila as the team's everyday catcher. They are not yet ready to annoint Brayan Pena into that role. 

"I don't want to indicate that Alex isn't our catcher," said Leyland. "He is our catcher."

Avila hasn't hit higher than .227 all season and his average hasn't been above .200 since April 11 except for one day. He's hitting just .155 since April 11 with two homers and eight RBI over 84 at-bats. Avila is hitting .053 against lefties but just .198 against righties. 

"I did this with Pudge (Rodriguez) toward the end," said Leyland. "I played him, then sat him out, played him, then sat him out. He didn't particularly like it, but it actually worked pretty good. I'm not saying I'm trying that with Alex, but I have to do something. We'll get through it together, but right now you have to go with your gut. There's no magic formula. I've talked to him, but if one nice conversation could solve all the problems, it would have been solved a while back. But I don't have the answer. The kid is struggling — and as the manager, you feel sorry for him. Trust me."

Hunter has slowed after an April in which he hit .313/.354/.416 with a home run in 178 plate appearances.

Cabrera is batting .464 (13 for 28) with a 1.107 slugging percentage, three doubles, five home runs and nine RBI during his hitting streak. For the month of May, Cabrera is batting .413 with a .813 slugging percentage, 1.296 OPS, six doubles, eight home runs and 21 RBI in 18 games.

Sanchez struck out 42 in his previous four starts (all quality starts). He'll look to rebound against the Twins next week.

Peralta is batting .370 (20 for 54) in 15 May games, improving his average from .292 to .320. He also has two home runs, five doubles, six RBI, nine walks and 12 runs in May.

Manager Jim Leyland said the move was "a no-brainer." Leyland admitted that the move would be temporary, and that Austin Jackson would remain in the spot once he returned. While he's happy with Infante's performance, Leyland doesn't think he's the ideal long-term leadoff hitter. 

"He's not an ideal leadoff guy. He doesn't walk much, but he hits pretty good. Omar can hit anywhere. Omar just comes ready to play every day and whatever you ask him to do, he does," Leyland said.

Infante is hitting .313/.344/.444 in 144 at-bats.