Day by day, the Tigers are slowly but surely getting more healthy.

Veteran reliever Octavio Dotel (elbow inflammation) came off the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. The Tigers sent Thad Weber back to Triple-A Toledo to make room for him on the active roster.

Manager Jim Leyland didn’t have a specific plan to get him back into action, though.

“Not really. I’ll just use him if I need him. He’s been around long enough, it’s not really a shock to his system,” the skipper said. “He’s been around a long time. He’ll know what to do. He’ll remember where the mound is.”

Also on Tuesday, rookie fifth starter Drew Smyly on Tuesday threw his first bullpen session since going on the DL on June 11 with a massive blood blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

“At this point, I’m just trying to build a callus over the new skin,” said Smyly, who’s due to come off the DL on June 26. “I’m good to go. I don’t know if they’ll need me to throw a bullpen again, or go to Toledo for a rehab start.”

Alex Avila (hamstring strain) began his planned three-game rehabilitation stint at Toledo on Monday, going hitless in two at-bats.

“The only thing I’m excited about was he felt great,” Leyland said, noting Avila was scheduled to catch five innings again Tuesday, then DH the entire game Wednesday. “If everything goes right, he’ll play here on Thursday.

“But he came out of it fine, yes.

“So that would be another. We’re slowly getting guys back, so that would be a good thing for us.”