Max Scherzer planning to pitch in Wednesday's Tigers game

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland said over the weekend that right-hander Max Scherzer wouldn't pitch on Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals if the team had already locked up the AL Central division. It now looks like that is out the window, as Jennifer Hammond reports, via Twitter, that pitching coach Jeff Jones said that Scherzer is "definitely gonna pitch."

#Tiger pitching coach Jeff Jones on @max_scherzer status for Wednesday "I don't know if he'll start, but he's definitely gonna pitch."

— Jennifer Hammond (@HammerFox2) October 2, 2012

The likely reason for the change is Scherzer's period of inactivity. He'll be a part of the four-man rotation in the playoffs, but he missed his last start on Friday due to weakness in his shoulder. He's been saying that he expects to start Wednesday if the Tigers needed him to, so he seems to feel fine, and it would just be beneficial for him to get some game time prior to the playoffs.

As for who is starting on Wednesday, it could be Drew Smyly if he doesn't get some time in relief of Doug Fister on Tuesday, but that's still up in the air, and Scherzer hasn't totally been eliminated from the starting discussion.