"Right fielder Justin Upton and first baseman Adam LaRoche were out of the lineup Tuesday night, but neither considered his injury serious, and both hoped to make quick returns.

Upton tweaked his left shoulder during a seventh-inning swing Monday night, and because it's the same should he has experienced problems with in the past, he said he knows his current injury isn't severe.

"I felt the worst of it in '06 when it originally happened," Upton said, referring to a spring training left-labrum strain that also occurred on a swing.

Since then, Upton has changed the way he finishes his swing, using two hands instead of one to minimize the strain on the shoulder.

"That's what I'm hoping," he said when asked if he thinks he can play tonight.

"It's significantly better today, and hopefully I can get some of the soreness out . . . and see how it feels."

LaRoche, who has been experiencing pain behind his right knee since the weekend, tried to convince interim manager Kirk Gibson to let him start Tuesday. LaRoche is expected to return tonight.

"It's feeling better," LaRoche said. "I'm hoping we can make up as much ground (Tuesday) as we did (Monday) and get it feeling pretty good. That would be ideal.""