DETROIT | Zack Greinke’s hardest pitch Wednesday night might have been his quick rejection to any suggestion that he’s struggling to meet heightened expectations after his terrific start.</p><p> “It should be better than that,” he said after allowing three runs in six innings in a 3-1 loss to the Tigers. “I should be doing better than that. Ninety percent of my games, I should do that or better.</p><p> “That’s my expectations even if it isn’t everyone else’s. I know how to pitch. My stuff is good. My health is good. When things are like that, you should be able to do that.”</p><p> Greinke drew national attention by going 8-1 with a 0.84 ERA through his first 10 starts. His loss Wednesday was his fourth in six decisions, leaving him at 10-5, and his ERA now stands at 2.12.</p><p> His ERA remains the best in either league, but Greinke insists he is neither satisfied by his recent outings nor his season to date when viewed as a whole.</p><p> “It’s been good so far,” he said, “but it’s a whole season (that matters) to me. And once you do it for a season, that season is over. Then it’s the next season. But nothing matters until the season is over.”</p><p><b>Guillen slowed</b></p><p> José Guillen returned to the lineup — but as the designated hitter — and could spend time this weekend battling the Green Monster, the big left-field wall at Boston’s Fenway Park, in an effort to reduce strain on his aching legs.</p><p> “It’s the smaller part of the field,” Hillman said. “He’s familiar with that Fenway wall. He’s played left field there plenty of times. I might put him in left to make it less taxing on his legs.”</p><p> Guillen left Tuesday’s game in the sixth inning because of tightness in both legs. He said afterward the problem stems from a sore right groin that has bothered him for weeks.</p><p> “What do you want me to tell you?” he asked before the game. “I’m sore, and it’s not fun. Some days, it feels better than others. I can’t figure it out.”</p><p><b>Surgery on Aviles</b></p><p> Shortstop Mike Aviles underwent reconstructive-elbow surgery, commonly known as Tommy John surgery, in Los Angeles. The procedure, performed by surgeon Lewis Yocum, replaced a ligament in Aviles’ right elbow.</p><p> “It was what they thought it would be when they got in there,” Hillman said. “They repaired it. Now, we’ll see how long it takes to heal up.”</p><p> The typical recovery time for a non-pitcher is nine-to-12 months, but Aviles previously set a personal timetable to be ready by the start of spring training.</p><p> Aviles, 28, was the Royals’ player of the year last season as a rookie when he batted .325 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs in 102 games. He was batting just .183 in 36 games before placed on the disabled list after a May 23 game in St. Louis. </p><p><b>Updating Gordon</b></p><p> Rehabbing third baseman Alex Gordon had a double and a homer in five at-bats Tuesday for Class AA Northwest Arkansas in a 9-2 victory at Corpus Christi.</p><p> Gordon is recovering from April 17 surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right hip. He is seven for 21 in eight rehab games, which included time with Rookie Surprise and Class AAA Omaha, with two homers, 10 RBIs and 10 walks.</p><p> Tentative plans call for him to rejoin the big-league club after the All-Star break.</p><p>&#8226;Reliever Doug Waechter, in his second outing, allowed four runs and five hits in just two-thirds of an inning for Omaha in a 12-2 loss at Oklahoma City. He is recovering from a strained left oblique.</p><p><b>On to Boston</b></p><p> The Royals make their only trip this season to Boston when they open a four-game series tonight at Fenway Park. The teams play a four-game series Sept. 21-24 at Kauffman Stadium.