However look for manager Jim Leyland to take advantage of Thames being absent due to a ribcage muscle injury to give Anderson as much playing time as possible to take advantage of his speed and defensive ability.

Larish will see some action against right-handed pitching as the DH, but Anderson definitely will cut into that because Leyland can DH either left fielder Carlos Guillen or right fielder Magglio Ordonez and put the speedy left-handed-hitting Anderson into the outfield, upgrading his defense.

"I can go a lot of different ways with it," Leyland said, "which is why we opened it up."

The Tigers cut DH Gary Sheffield during spring training in part to give Leyland some flexibility in the DH spot.

TIGERS 12, ANGELS 10: CF Curtis Granderson and 3B Brandon Inge hit solo home runs and Detroit got some stout relief pitching in the late innings to overcome another shaky start by RHP Justin Verlander. The Tigers rallied for five runs in the seventh to take an 11-8 lead, with Inge's ninth-inning blow giving his team just enough room to withstand a two-run rally against closer Fernando Rodney. Inge drove in three runs, while SS Adam Everett had three hits and drove in two runs in his return to the starting lineup. Rookie RHP Ryan Perry pitched a scoreless seventh, LHP Bobby Seay allowed just one harmless runner in the eighth, and Rodney got the potential tying run to ground out to first to end the game.