Alex Avila (back) expects to return to action Monday. Avila has nursed some back spams the last couple days, which he said Sunday is something he deals with a couple times per year. It's obviously not a concern given that he is expected to be back in drills on Monday.

Alex Avila was held out of Saturday's workout due to a sore back. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus indicated that it wasn't a great concern. After a disappointing 2013 season, the 27-year-old backstop represents a nice bounceback candidate that can be had in the later rounds of two-catcher mixed leagues.

Tigers and C Alex Avila avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.15 million contract. The deal also includes a $5.4 million club/vesting option for 2015 that contains a $200,000 buyout. Avila was arbitration-eligible for the second time after batting .227/.317/.376 with 11 homers last season.

Alex Avila requested $5.35 million and was offered $3.75 million from the Tigers when arbitration figures were exchanged on Friday. While the two sides are far apart, it's likely they'll reach an agreement someplace in the range of $4.5 million. The 26-year-old backstop hit a disappointing .227/.317/.376 during the 2013 season.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland noted Saturday that catcher Alex Avila was tested for a possible concussion after taking a foul tip off his mask in Thursday's game, and that Avila passed all of his tests. There had been some speculation that Avila was dealing with concussion-related symptoms as well as the knee injury sustained in the collision at home plate with David Ross. He'll strap back on the tools of ignorance and return to his rightful place behind the dish for a critical Game 6 against the Red Sox on Saturday.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland announced that Alex Avila (knee) will play in Game 6 of the ALCS against the Red Sox on Saturday. Avila was considered day-to-day after leaving Thursday's game with a left knee patellar tendon strain that he suffered during a collision with David Ross at home plate. Avila is far and away the best defensive option that the Tigers have behind the dish, and it should be a boost to their chances of staving off elimination to have him back in the lineup.

Alex Avila (knee) expects to be in the lineup for Game 6 of the ALCS on Saturday. Avila suffered a left knee patellar tendon strain during a collision at home plate with fellow catcher David Ross on Thursday but will take "strong" painkillers on Friday so that he can get back in there the next day. "I had this injury before in 2011,'' Avila said. "I've dealt with it on and off the last three years. I'm familiar with it."

Alex Avila left Thursday's game against the Red Sox with a left knee injury. Avila tweaked his knee on a collision at home plate in the second inning with fellow catcher David Ross. He stayed in the game initially but was clearly affected and eventually pulled. Avila also took a foul tip off the mask, but it appears that the knee is the issue. Brayan Pena took his spot behind the plate.

Alex Avila homered and plated three runs, but it wasn't enough to overcome a late rally from the Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALCS on Sunday. Avila finished the night 2-for-3 and also walked. It what looked like an extreme pitcher's duel early on, Avila got the Tigers on the board with an RBI single off Clay Buchholz in the second inning. He then added a two-run bomb to right, capping off a four-run uprising in the sixth inning that chased Buchholz from the game. For the postseason, the 26-year-old backstop is hitting .227 (5-for-22) with a homer and four RBI.

Alex Avila's fourth inning sacrifice fly plated the Tigers lone run in Saturday's loss to the Marlins. The Tigers offense as a whole generated nine hits, and had plenty of scoring chances, but couldn't break through against Nathan Eovaldi or the Marlins bullpen. Avila's bat is certainly heating up at the right part of the season, as he's hitting .348 (23-for-66) with a pair of homers and nine RBI in the month of September.