Detroit Tigers second baseman Colt Keith, a rookie who signed a long-term contract before his first MLB game, isn't going to end up on the injured list.

There isn't any structural damage to his left knee.

It could've been much worse.

Keith had a scary moment in the third inning of Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Comerica Park. The 22-year-old collided with outfielder Akil Baddoo near the right-field line while both players chased a fly ball and immediately had to leave the game with left knee discomfort.

THE PLAY: Tigers' Colt Keith leaves game with left knee discomfort after scary collision

"I'm feeling pretty stiff today, just a little sore," Keith said before Sunday's game, "but I don't think anything is long-term hurt. ... The long-term is out of the question. It's just as soon as I feel like I'm ready to go."

Keith explained what happened on the play from his perspective.

"I was calling it for a while," Keith said. "I think Akil was too early. I never heard Akil. I think it was a thing where we must have been both calling it at the same time because he said he was calling it too. I looked up and saw in my peripheral that Gio (Urshela, first baseman) let up when he heard me calling it, and I thought that Akil wasn't there, so I went there, had it, and all of a sudden, I got hit by Akil."

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Baddoo had priority as the outfielder moving in on the fly ball, whereas Keith had a much more difficult play going from the infield into the outfield.

"Those plays are always tough," Baddoo said. "Those plays, you got to make. It's just unfortunate. We were probably both calling it at the same time. He probably didn't hear me. It's plays like that you don't really want to happen, so it's unfortunate."

Manager A.J. Hinch doesn't care who should've caught the ball.

He just wanted the ball to be caught.

The Brewers scored two runs immediately after Keith's fielding error as a result of the collision.

"It should've been caught," Hinch said. "That's the reality. Pointing fingers, it is what it is, but it's got to be caught. Both guys were trying to catch it. They both sounded like they were calling it. I could see Akil closing in faster because it looked like he got a bad read from the get-go, but the message is more clear about what needs to happen, which is catch the ball and communicate more than assessing – he messed up, he messed up or he messed up. It needs to be caught. It's the big leagues."

Keith is hitting .215 with two home runs, 13 walks and 36 strikeouts in 57 games this season. He has been charged with seven errors this season, playing only second base.

Jack Flaherty update

Right-hander Jack Flaherty (low back tightness) isn't starting Tuesday against the Washington Nations at Comerica Park, as initially scheduled, but he isn't landing on the injured list.

Instead, the Tigers are pushing Flaherty back on the schedule.

"We're going to be pretty cautious with Jack," Hinch said, "just to make sure that we can give him as much time as the rotation will allow with the off days that we've had, so we're taking full advantage of that with him."

THE INJURY: Tigers' Jack Flaherty exits game with back tightness, expects to make next start

Flaherty will start Friday or Saturday against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, allowing for as much time as possible for a full recovery. The rotation for the series against the Nationals: right-hander Kenta Maeda on Tuesday, right-hander Reese Olson on Wednesday and right-hander Casey Mize on Thursday.

Maeda is ready to start Tuesday against the Nationals after leaving Wednesday's game after two pitches with abdominal soreness. The day before Maeda's exit, Flaherty departed Tuesday's game after 60 pitches because of low back tightness.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Colt Keith (left knee) avoids serious injury