THE SIDELINES : Whitaker May Be Out for Season

Detroit second baseman Lou Whitaker strained a ligament in his right knee and probably will miss the rest of the season, the Tigers announced.

Whitaker was injured while sliding into home in the first inning of Sunday’s 6-0 victory at Oakland. He left the game and was fitted with an ankle-to-thigh brace before returning to Detroit, where he was examined Monday by Dr. David Collom at Henry Ford Hospital, a team spokesman said.

The 14-year major league veteran was batting .237 with 18 home runs and 60 RBI in 132 games this season. If Whitaker misses Detroit’s nine remaining games, he will finish with his lowest batting average since 1980, when he hit .233.