A day earlier, Leyland said Zumaya probably would not be ready for the start of the regular season on April 6.

Zumaya is a talented but injury-prone 24-year-old power-pitching right-hander who has missed much of the past two seasons. He was scratched from an intrasquad game Saturday because of a neck cramp.

"He feels better," Leyland said. "I'll leave it at that."

Zumaya's best season came in 2006, when he was 6-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 62 appearances to help the Tigers reach the World Series.

Since then, injuries have been a major issue.

In 2007, he tore a tendon in his right middle finger in April. Later that year, he hurt his right shoulder in an accident at his home and didn't pitch the remainder of the season after undergoing reconstructive surgery.

Last year, Zumaya appeared in 21 games and was 0-2 with a 3.47 ERA before sustaining a season-ending fractured shoulder in August.

"Right now, we've really gotten into a gray area," Leyland said.