Well Anderson has just proven very quickly that he's not a solution

Trouble with digging deeper is that our best in AA are McKenzie injured and Hentges who finally threw his first decent game and Civale still getting in shape in Goodyear.
Eli Morgan just arrived in Akron. Luis Oviedo is well regarded but only in Lake County.

But Tampa digs for guys and then doesn't start them. They use an opener then run the next guy out for hopefully some length. Takes some pressure off the kids they use.

I put Plutko in the same category. To me he has done nothing at the big league level to entice me.

Rodriguez has shown something so there is justification to run with him awhile.

No choice but using Rodriguez, and he's been good so far. Anderson should be sent back down; he's clearly not ready. They haven't taken about the opener idea but they need to think creatively.

Yep. Openers are for teams that have a shortage of starting pitching so it ordinarily is a non issue.

But not any more.

Hoping the White Sox will be a nice cure for what ails the team. And the rust seems to be coming off Lindor - though not fully yet.

Injury Updates –

Bradley Zimmer is just one of the players the Indians hope can contribute at some point this season. The 26-year-old outfielder injured his oblique while recovering from shoulder surgery, which set him back about a month. He was throwing from the outfield when he felt pain in his side.

Zimmer appears to be fully recovered from the oblique injury and the shoulder is feeling good. He's doing everything now, from taking batting practice to playing in the outfield. The next step is playing in games. Once he does that, it could just be a matter of time before he finds himself on the big-league club.

Kluber's injury brought up plenty of questions about Danny Salazar. Where is he in his recovery and could he help solve the Indians' issues in the rotation?

Salazar was progressing well, but suffered a minor setback within the past week.

"He had a real good bullpen and then the next couple of days he didn't feel as good," Francona said. "He's down a couple days from throwing, then they'll ramp him back up."

Salazar hasn't pitched in the big leagues since Game 4 of the 2017 American League Divisional Series against the Yankees. His goal was to return prior to the All-Star break, which could still happen, but anyone banking on him saving the rotation should pump the breaks.

Adam Plutko will likely be the fifth-starter once he's fully healthy. He's been sidelined with a forearm issue. Plutko will join Triple-A Columbus this weekend.

Don't be shocked if the 27-year-old is pitching for the Indians as soon as he's ready to go. Cody Anderson and Jefry Rodriguez will fill-in for Clevinger and Kluber, but the Indians love Plutko and he could take Anderson's spot by the middle of the month.

They love Plutko? That seems a little over the top. He's a good contact pitcher with home run tendencies. Sort of Josh Tomlin-esque; and they loved Josh Tomlin

If you can love Michael Martinez and Roberto Perez you can love anybody.

Or...James Shields.

Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports that the Tigers, Indians and Rangers have scouted James Shields in recent weeks.

Shields, 37, is coming off a 4.53 ERA and 154/78 K/BB ratio over 204 2/3 innings last season with the White Sox.

that's good enough to tame the Indians offense

Tito put Edwards out there both Sunday and Monday, so now that he would have to sit for a couple days before he is available again I assume he'll the man down when JRod is added to the roster.
I am looking forward to seeing Plutko's name in a Columbus box score, since I assume they'll want to get some AAA innings before he rejoins the Indians. Rushing Cody Anderson up didn't work

Honest, I hadn't checked the minor league scoreboard before that post. I just did and Plutko is starting today.

Yes, I just posted in Minor folder that he’s been activated.

Columbus Clippers transactions

RHP Adam Plutko activated off 7-day IL
RHP James Hoyt activated off 7-day IL
RHP Evan Marshall assigned to Mahoning Valley roster

It was a virtual tie; I was typing my post while you were typing yours. But you hit Submit seconds before.
It's like getting my board pass on Southwest. I click at 10:30:01 and I get B24.

checking the roster and JRod is back Edwards is gone.

Sorry, didn’t mean it that way. You actually might have posted before me. Was just backing you up with a second source is all I meant. I had just posted about McKenzie so posted there to keep the injury updates going.