CLEVELAND — Detroit Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter underwent treatment Friday and rested a hamstring injury that could keep him out of Saturday’s decisive Game 5 of the AL Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians.

Carpenter, who hit a three-run homer to win Game 2, got hurt while rounding third and scoring in the sixth inning Thursday night. His run gave Detroit the lead before the Guardians rallied to win 5-4 and even the back-and-forth series.

Manager A.J. Hinch said the team is waiting to see how Carpenter’s injury responds before making any lineup or roster decisions.

“We’re going to take as much time as we can to see what he can and can’t handle,” Hinch said. “It’s obvious what he’s dealing with and we’re going to hope for the best as we move forward because he’s important to our team and our lineup.

“I don’t know right now what that’s going to be and we’ll make a game-time decision.”

Carpenter is a vital part of Detroit’s lineup. His stunning three-run homer off Cleveland All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase gave the Tigers a 3-0 win in Game 2. He hit 18 homers in just 87 games during the season despite missing significant time with a stress fracture in his lower back.

If the Tigers have to replace Carpenter on their roster, he would be ineligible if the team advances to play the New York Yankees in the ALCS.

Hinch said his focus was only on finding a way to advance.

“There is no series if you don’t win (Saturday),” Hinch said. “The No. 1 goal is to win, and we’ll make the right decision for us that we feel is best for us.”

Bligh Madris, who has been working out with other Detroit players in Toledo, Ohio, during the series, is with the Tigers and would be the likely replacement for Carpenter. Madris batted .269 in 21 games for Detroit this season.

Also, Tigers catcher Jake Rogers said he was sore but otherwise fine after being hit with two foul balls on the left hand in Thursday’s game.

• Citing a chance of inclement weather, the start of Game 5 of the Detroit-Cleveland series was moved from 8:08 p.m. to 1:08 p.m.

YANKEES: Converted into the team’s closer, Luke Weaver has let out his animal instinct.

“It’s just like the ferocious jungle cat just comes out me,” he said during the celebration after Thursday night’s AL Division Series clincher in Kansas City.

“You just feed into the energy,” he said. “I think you tell yourself you’ve got to be relentless, you’ve got to be convicted. I don’t want to mess around and be like: I didn’t give my all. Just go after them and keep at it.”

ROYALS: As the Yankees were celebrating their win over his Royals, Bobby Witt Jr. snuck back to the home dugout to watch. He was the only one there, hanging over the railing, taking in the revelry. It left him with a burning desire to not just return to the playoffs next year but go much farther.

“It’s motivation. That’s really all there is to it,” said Witt. “Because now that you get a taste of the postseason, you want to keep doing it. It’s going to make everyone in this clubhouse work even harder.”

SPRING TRAINING facilities on Florida’s west coast appear to have been spared major damage during Hurricane Milton.

Unlike two years ago when Hurricane Ian caused extensive damage that shut down Tampa Bay’s spring home in Port Charlotte, no teams reported Milton causing serious issues that might impact operations.

The Rays continue to assess the situation at their training complex and stadium in Port Charlotte, as well as at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, where Milton shredded the roof of the domed stadium.