Verlander to miss start Thursday, hopes to pitch April 8

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) Justin Verlander will miss his scheduled spring training start Thursday but hopes to take his first scheduled regular-season turn for the

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) Justin Verlander will miss his scheduled spring training start Thursday but hopes to take his first scheduled regular-season turn for the Detroit Tigers on April 8 against Minnesota.

The 2011 AL Cy Young Award winner and MVP left Friday's exhibition outing with a cramp in his right triceps. He threw on Sunday but still had soreness on Monday.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he expects Verlander to follow David Price in the rotation and pitch the second game of the season. Ausmus said Anibal Sanchez would move up, if necessary.

''We just have to wait and see,'' Ausmus said. ''He has to pitch sometime before the regular season.''

Ausmus said it was possible Verlander might throw in a minor league game before the team heads north.