By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak

COMERICA PARK (CBS DETROIT) - More than a month and half since his last start, Detroit Tigers pitcher Anibal Sanchez will be back in action Tuesday. Sanchez will not be back in the starting rotation, but he should give a boost to a bullpen that has struggled at times this season.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he has no doubt Sanchez's repertoire will translate to relief pitching, and the manager said he feels comfortable using Sanchez in any inning.

"I think he could fill a number of roles depending on how deep the starter went," Ausmus said before Monday's game. "He could probably pitch, if the starter scuffled he could probably pitch the sixth and seventh. If the starter did well, he could probably pitch the seventh, he could probably pitch the eighth. His stuff is that good. I wouldn't be afraid to use him at any point in the game, really."

While moving a starter to the bullpen usually gives a team a reliever who can throw more pitches than the average reliever, Ausmus said the Tigers will be careful about how long they leave Sanchez in.

"He's only threw 45 pitches in simulated the other day, which isn't the same as pitching in a live game," Ausmus said. "I'd be a little concerned throwing him more than two, really, and if he did throw two, you'd probably have to give him at least one, maybe two days off. That would be the concern there."

Ausmus said the Tigers will not be able to let Sanchez know in advance what days he will pitch, but they will let him know as soon as possible.

"We'll try to give him as much notice as possible, but it won't be before a game," Ausmus said. "These are games that we have to win, so we don't have the luxury of telling him, 'Hey, you're going to pitch on Wednesday.' The game is going to determine when he pitches."

Sanchez last pitched Aug. 8 in Toronto. In 21 starts for Detroit, he recorded a 3.46 ERA and struck out 102 while walking only 30. The Tigers placed Sanchez on the disabled list Aug. 10 with a right pectoralis major strain.