LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland is ready for the World Baseball Classic to be over — he needs his starters back.

Gary Sheffield, one of the regulars still in camp, homered in the Tigers' 5-2 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday.

The Tigers have been playing without Armando Galarraga, Carlos Guillen, Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez, who are playing for Venezuela in the WBC. Curtis Granderson is with the United States team. Both teams advanced to the semifinals.

"It's a no-win situation," Leyland said. "Some guys just want their players back and that's how I feel also. I want our guys to spend some time together before opening day."

Leyland said he is watching the WBC with great interest but wants his entire squad to have a chance to work together before breaking camp. He would like to see Cabrera, who played third base last year, get some work at first base. He's not happy that Guillen has been serving mostly as designated hitter in the WBC, when he will be the left fielder after playing first base last season.

Leyland also wants to see Galarraga at least once in a Tigers uniform before opening day. Galarraga was Detroit's most effective pitcher last season and Leyland said he was a little concerned over Gallaraga's pitch count at the WBC. He threw 71 pitches in his last start for Venezuela.

"We are not where we want to be right now," Leyland said. "We just don't have our players. We need to clean the clubhouse out little bit, but I can't control any of that until I get my players back."

Nate Robertson, vying for the final starting job in the Detroit rotation, allowed two hits and struck out five in five innings, his longest outing of the spring. Brandon Lyon, fighting for the spot as the Tigers closer pitched a shutout inning.

"That's the best he's pitched all spring," Leyland said of Robertson's outing.

Leyland is still trying to decide on the rotation after analyzing Jeremy Bonderman's and Dontrelle Willis' efforts Thursday against Atlanta. Bonderman was sharp and Leyland said that Bonderman felt fine on Friday.

The Tigers have three off days in the first two weeks of the regular season, so the Tigers can afford to take it easy on Bonderman's sore shoulder.

Collin Balester, making his second straight appearance against Detroit, was hit hard. He allowed five runs and nine hits in four innings Friday after walking three in three shutout innings on March 15.

Lastings Milledge returned to the Nationals' lineup after a day off and 0-for-4. He bruised his knee in a collision in the ninth inning Wednesday and didn't play Thursday.