NEW YORK -- Masahiro Tanaka took a very small step toward returning to the New York Yankees rotation, playing a pain-free game of catch. Tanaka made 25 throws from 60 feet Monday, his first action since being sidelined in early July with a small tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The rookie sensation from Japan was 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA before landing on the disabled list. He is trying to avoid Tommy John surgery, which would sideline the 25-year-old All-Star for at least a year. "I think it all went well," Tanaka said through a translator. "I think I get to the next step, so Im very relieved about that." Manager Joe Girardi cautions that this is slow start in a long process, but was encouraged the throwing in the outfield went well. Tanaka will play catch again Tuesday and will increase the intensity as he goes along. Girardi said the real test will come when Tanaka gets on a mound and faces competition. "Its way too early to see," Girardi said. "Its positive that he didnt feel anything today, but its really light catch." Michael Pineda, another sidelined Yankees starter, appears much closer to a return from a right shoulder muscle injury. The right-hander threw 58 pitches in 3 1-3 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. A day later, he was happy with how his shoulder felt. Girardi said the Yankees would like for Pineda to make two more rehabilitation starts and increase his endurance to 90-100 pitches. But New York might have a heightened need for the big righty, who was hurt in a simulated game as he prepared to return from a suspension for being caught using pine tar to help his grip in late April. Fill-in starter David Phelps was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday before New York played the Detroit Tigers because of right elbow inflammation. The Yankees recalled Matt Daley from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to fill Phelps spot on the roster. Phelps will not pick up a baseball for two weeks so he cannot be counted on for much of August. Girardi, however, said a second MRI on Phelps elbow showed only tendinitis. Detroit Tigers Store . -- The Atlanta Braves are facing the possibility of losing another pitcher for the season after general manager Frank Wren said Saturday that Cory Gearrin has a serious injury to his right elbow. Detroit Tigers Pro Shop . Simona Halep of Romania claimed the fifth title of her career by beating Samantha Stosur of Australia 7-6 (1), 6-2 in the womens final. After trading sets, Gasquet trailed 4-3 in the decider but broke back to 4-4 in a game that went to seven deuces with Kukushkin constantly failing on his forehand shots. https://www.cheaptigers.com/. Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday. Tigers Jerseys China . Ronaldo failed to connect on an ample number of opportunities at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. But Karim Benzema and Jese Rodriguez scored in each half for Madrid to come out of the first leg with the firm advantage. Wholesale Tigers Jerseys . Ilonen birdied five of his closing seven holes in superb scoring conditions to end the day with a two-shot lead on the Fota Island course. Ilonen had just 26 putts on the occasion of his 300th European Tour event.J.A. Happ tries to win for the fifth time in six starts tonight when the Toronto Blue Jays continue a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins. Happ bounced back from an ugly loss to Kansas City to win in Detroit on Thursday, as he held the Tigers to three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 5-2 to go along with a 4.12 ERA. In two games (1 start) versus the Twins, Happ is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA. After getting shut out in back-to-back games Toronto seemed to get back on track in Mondays opener, as Kevin Pillar singled home pinch-runner Erik Kratz in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Blue Jays to a 5-4 win. The Twins erased a 4-2 deficit in the top of the ninth, but Matt Guerrier (0-1) walked the leadoff batter, Dioner Navarro, who was replaced by Kratz. After Anthony Gose struck out on a failed bunt attempt, Casey Fien took over for Guerrier. Jose Reyes then lined a single to right field -- his third hit of the game -- and Pillar followed with a blooper to right to score Kratz and end the Blue Jays two-game skid. Edwin Encarnacion blasted a three-run homer for AL East-leading Toronto, which was coming off conseccutive 5-0 losses to St.dddddddddddd Louis over the weekend. Danny Santana and Brian Dozier clubbed back-to-back homers off Toronto starter R.A. Dickey to begin the game, but the knuckleballer settled down to pitch into the sixth inning. "The more aggressive I became, the better result I started having," Dickey said. Kurt Suzuki had three hits in Minnesotas fourth loss in five games. Toronto could stay in the win column on Tuesday, as it goes up against Twins righty Kevin Correia, who is a miserable 2-7 with a 6.11 ERA. Correia couldnt hold a four-run lead on Thursday against Milwaukee and fell for the fourth time in five decisions, as he allowed five runs and 10 hits in five innings. As bad as hes been, though, the Twins dont plan on moving him from the rotation anytime soon. "Kevins one of our starters," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Hes paid good money to do that, and hes still gonna get paid no matter what, so hes one of our starters. We need him to be more consistent." Correia is 1-3 with a 6.48 ERA in six games (4 starts) against Toronto. Minnesota won two of three when these teams squared off in April. ' ' '