ANAHEIM -- Tigers slugger Gary Sheffield's injury-plagued season hit another obstacle. This time, however, it wasn't his shoulder. Sheffield left Monday's game against the Angels with what the team called left oblique spasms.

The injury occurred in his second at-bat, when he grounded out to short to end the top of the third inning. Sheffield slowed up coming out of the batter's box and stopped about midway up the base line. He was clutching at his left side as he headed into the dugout with the attention of head athletic trainer Kevin Rand.

Sheffield has dealt with shoulder issues for much of the year following offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum. While that has garnered no shortage of attention behind his cold start at the plate, he's still dealing with a partially torn tendon at the top of his right ring finger from an injury in early April. He has to wear a brace for that whenever he isn't hitting.

In short, it has been a trying season for Sheffield, and not just at the plate. He has been making improvements there, though, having gone 8-for-19 with a double, home run and four RBIs over four games leading into Monday.

Ryan Raburn replaced Sheffield at designated hitter when his spot came back up in the sixth inning. Sheffield's average for the season stood at .216 entering Monday with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 38 games.