Polanco sprains left ankle on play at plate

09/26/2008 7:47 PM ET
Polanco leaves game after collision
Tigers second baseman sprains left ankle on play at plate
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

DETROIT -- Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco left Friday's game against the Rays with a sprained left ankle suffered on a collision at the plate. He will be reevaluated Saturday after X-rays were negative.

Polanco, back in the lineup after being held out of Thursday's game to rest his sore back, drew a four-pitch walk in the first inning and came around to score on a Magglio Ordonez double. The run, however, came at a price. As he slid home ahead of the throw, his left foot collided with the right leg of Rays catcher Dioner Navarro.

Replays showed Navarro's leg didn't give way, and Polanco's leg bent back toward his knee instead. The impact left Polanco writhing in pain at the plate as Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand rushed out from the dugout to attend to him.

Ryan Raburn, who started in Polanco's place on Thursday, replaced him at second on Friday to start the second inning.

Polanco is batting .307 this season with eight home runs and 58 RBIs.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

That was a scary one, kids! It looked like it was a lot worse.