Brandon Inge returned to the Detroit Tigers' lineup, very carefully.

He played third base for three innings and got hit in the back in his only plate appearance of Saturday's 6-2 exhibition victory over the New York Yankees.

Inge is rehabbing after November surgery on both knees. Chronic tendinitis hampered him throughout the second half of last season, and Leyland wants to bring him back slowly. The knees stiffened up between innings Saturday, but it was nothing unexpected. Leyland expects him to be near 100 percent by opening day.