By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

DETROIT - Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus expects to see starting pitcher Shane Greene, whom the organization sent down to Triple-A Toledo on Friday, back with the Tigers before the end of the season. In Greene's last four outings for Detroit, he has allowed 20 earned runs over 14 2/3 innings.

Ausmus said sending Greene down was a difficult decision.

"We all wanted Shane to do well, and he had flashes of brilliance, really," Ausmus said Friday. "Early on, the first three starts were tremendous. He's got great movement on his fastball when his mechanics are right, he's got two very good breaking balls, the changeup was coming along, but at this point we felt it'd probably be better for him to kind hone those skills, get back to where he was early, away from the big-league environment.

"We're hoping he can go back there and regain the form, regain the movement on the sinker, work on the changeup," Ausmus continued. "He's got excellent stuff, he's as hard a worker as we have in the clubhouse, and still think he's got an extremely bright future."

Ausmus said pitching coach Jeff Jones will talk with Greene about some mechanical details, and Ausmus expressed full confidence Greene will do his best to address any issues mentioned.

"He'll definitely work on them," Ausmus said. "He's a tenacious worker. I'd be shocked if he wasn't back. This guy's really got good stuff and great makeup."

Greene has a 5.82 ERA, which is 55th among American League pitchers, but in nearly half of his appearances he has pitched quite well. In six of his 13 starts, Greene has allowed two runs or fewer. The most recent such start, however, was May 20.

Kyle Ryan will be taking over Greene's spot in the rotation. The 23-year-old Ryan has pitched in three games for Detroit this season -- twice as a reliever and once as a starter. In his one start for the Tigers, Ryan allowed two earned runs in seven innings. His ERA over his three appearances for the Tigers this season is 2.08.