Jose Ramirez set for surgery Monday on fractured right hamate bone
Updated 12:05 PM; Today 12:04 PM
By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Jose Ramirez will fly to New York and have surgery Monday to remove a fractured hamate bone in his right hand, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona announced.
Ramirez suffered the injury during his at bat in the first inning of Saturday’s 4-2 win against Kansas City when he fouled off a 93 mph fastball from Royals starter Glenn Sparkman. Ramirez doubled over in pain after the swing and left the game after talking to Francona and head athletic trainer James Quinlan.
The hamate is a triangular-shaped bone near the wrist which is prone to injury by hitters because the knob of a bat can grind against it. Michael Brantley missed the final month of the season in 2011 with a similar injury. Other notable Tribe sluggers who missed time due to hamate injuries include Jim Thome, Travis Hafner and Carlos Santana.
Francona would not speculate as to whether or not the injury spells the end of Ramirez’s season, but said the club will have a better idea about a timetable for the two-time All-Star’s recovery following the surgery.
“I’m not sure anybody’s ever going to be able to nail it exactly,” Francona said. “But we will have a much better idea after he does the procedure.”
Francona said after Saturday’s game that Ramirez had been dealing with right wrist soreness for a while, but the team was concerned because this injury appeared to be in a different area. He was assured that the previous issue did not lead to the hamate bone fracture.
“Baseball players do this,” Francona said. “The trainers and the doctor, nobody thought it was related.”
Ramirez was batting .254 with 65 runs, 33 doubles, 20 home runs and 75 RBI in 126 games. Following a slow start, Ramirez hit .325 with 21 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 47 RBI with a 1.045 OPS in 52 games after June 21. His resurgence at the plate coincided with Cleveland erasing a deficit of 11.5 games in the American League Central, setting up a race for the division against Minnesota down the stretch.
Cleveland recalled 24-year-old infielder Yu Chang from Triple-A Columbus to take Ramirez’s spot on the 25-man roster. Chang has spent most of the season on the Clippers’ roster, batting .253 with 15 doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 39 RBI in 68 games. The native of Taiwan made his major league debut on June 28 in Baltimore when Ramίrez was on the Paternity List.
Francona said Chang and utility infielder Mike Freeman will share time at third, but added that playing time would probably be determined by production rather than a straight platoon.
“We’ll let them know the night before and we’ll try to put two guys out there to try to take Josey’s place,” Francona said. “Freeman’s done everything and more that we could have asked.”
Chang was limited earlier in the season by a finger injury in Columbus, but has shown flashes of power.
“He hit a couple home runs three nights ago," Francona said. “He’d been real streaky. When he gets in a good streak, it’s been really good, and then it’s been the other way, too."
In a season that’s already seen injuries and illness devastate the Indians’ starting pitching rotation, Francona said this latest blow is particularly painful. He said the team can choose to feel sorry for itself or rally back and use the injury as a time to shine
“I would choose No. 2,” Francona said. “I’m aware that it got more difficult. We lost a great player. That doesn’t mean you can’t win, it just makes it a little harder.”
Re: Articles
7127Great stuff, thanks rusty.
We are very fortunate, as fans of a team with odds stacked against them, to have people running the organization who have a system that works so well. Not perfect of course but really good.
These seeds were planted long ago by Mr. John Hart. Many thanks there. And we now see the result of the seeds Hart planted in the Atlanta organization!
We are very fortunate, as fans of a team with odds stacked against them, to have people running the organization who have a system that works so well. Not perfect of course but really good.
These seeds were planted long ago by Mr. John Hart. Many thanks there. And we now see the result of the seeds Hart planted in the Atlanta organization!
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
7128John Hart may have planted seeds but he never could reap a harvest. Hart could not develop pitching. Had quite a few teams with good bats but no pitching.
Re: Articles
7129Of course I will disagree here and always will.
I will point to 1997 and 2016 and say both of those were coin flips in the end that we ended up losing. And throw in 1995.
No one can point the finger at the front office for those losses with a straight face.
From the front office standpoint they all have repeatedly put this team into positions with a shot to win.
For front offices that's their job and they do their job...period. I repeat that is a front office's job - to put a team on the field that is a quality product with a shot to win.
That box is checked. Until we find a way to control the luck involved in those 2 finishes then we have to accept it for what it was. Great teams with ultimately bad luck in the very, very end.
And I love those teams for what they DID do - their very best and took us on a magic ride.
I will point to 1997 and 2016 and say both of those were coin flips in the end that we ended up losing. And throw in 1995.
No one can point the finger at the front office for those losses with a straight face.
From the front office standpoint they all have repeatedly put this team into positions with a shot to win.
For front offices that's their job and they do their job...period. I repeat that is a front office's job - to put a team on the field that is a quality product with a shot to win.
That box is checked. Until we find a way to control the luck involved in those 2 finishes then we have to accept it for what it was. Great teams with ultimately bad luck in the very, very end.
And I love those teams for what they DID do - their very best and took us on a magic ride.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
7130FOX Sports Ohio
·
"I'm a lot happier here" -
@BauerOutage
transitioning well into the
@Reds
bullpen and not missing Cleveland .
Bauer said it took getting away to realize how unhappy he was in Cleveland.
Screw this punk !
·
"I'm a lot happier here" -
@BauerOutage
transitioning well into the
@Reds
bullpen and not missing Cleveland .
Bauer said it took getting away to realize how unhappy he was in Cleveland.
Screw this punk !
Re: Articles
7131Trevor Bauer
✔
@BauerOutage
To be clear, the “not a whole lot I miss about Cleveland” comment was directly related to the situation I had just mentioned. I will always hold my love for the city, the fans and most importantly the great people of Cleveland in a special place in my heart.
https://twitter.com/foxsportsoh/status/ ... 3041586176 …
FOX Sports Ohio
✔
@BauerOutage
To be clear, the “not a whole lot I miss about Cleveland” comment was directly related to the situation I had just mentioned. I will always hold my love for the city, the fans and most importantly the great people of Cleveland in a special place in my heart.
https://twitter.com/foxsportsoh/status/ ... 3041586176 …
FOX Sports Ohio
Re: Articles
7132it was just the team he hated. Such as Tito, a Hall of Fame manager. And the front office which took on a different pitcher, turned him into a star and didnt' force to stay where he was unhappy. Or all his teammates who put up with his antics.
Re: Articles
7133Just my take, but all that trade talk had to be driving him nuts. From last offseason all the way until he was traded. That said he had it coming after his "1 year deals only" declaration. A trade had to happen after that.rusty2 wrote:Trevor Bauer
✔
@BauerOutage
To be clear, the “not a whole lot I miss about Cleveland” comment was directly related to the situation I had just mentioned. I will always hold my love for the city, the fans and most importantly the great people of Cleveland in a special place in my heart.
https://twitter.com/foxsportsoh/status/ ... 3041586176 …
FOX Sports Ohio
And we are now reaping the benefits.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
7134That doesn’t mean you can’t win’: José Ramírez’s injury and the Indians’ bid to re-create 2016
Zack Meisel Aug 25, 2019 22
CLEVELAND — The realization struck Carlos Carrasco as he reflected on the Indians’ resurgence earlier this month. He considered how the club has weathered injuries to Corey Kluber and Mike Clevinger, how his teammates rallied around him following his leukemia diagnosis.
“This reminds me of 2016,” Carrasco said.
That fall, the Indians waded into October waters without their Nos. 2 and 3 starting pitchers and their left fielder. Their catcher was limited to emergency duty. Yet, nothing thrown at that team — aside from a late-night rain delay, perhaps — rattled it.
Now, as September approaches and the Indians find themselves monitoring the daily goings on in Oakland, Tampa and Minneapolis, they continue to read frustrating news on the injury wire.
José Ramírez will undergo surgery Monday afternoon in New York, placing his season in jeopardy. He suffered a fractured hamate bone in his right hand/wrist area after an uncomfortable swing Saturday night. His wrist had bothered him before that, but doctors told Terry Francona (and Ramírez confirmed) the two injuries are unrelated. Once Dr. Thomas Graham completes the operation, the Indians will have a clearer idea of a timetable for Ramírez.
“We need all of us to contribute,” Ramírez said via an interpreter, “so I felt really bad when that happened.”
This obviously raises the degree of difficulty for the Indians’ postseason push. Ramírez’s summer resurrection had reinforced that his ceiling remains an MVP candidate, and that his early-season inabilities were, in fact, uncharacteristic, not some new norm.
It’s unfair to expect Yu Chang and Mike Freeman to match that level of production, of course, but they’ll attempt to fill in at third base.
“It’s the situation we’re dealt,” Freeman said. “We just have to step up and try to piece it together. One person’s not going to be able to do the job that he’s done, certainly in the second half. So, we’ll get creative. We’ll step up and fill the void.”
That’s served as the Indians’ mantra all season. The club bid farewell to Clevinger, Kluber and Carrasco for extended periods, only to have a couple of rookies in Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale breathe new life into the pitching staff, while Shane Bieber emerged as a front-line option.
“Obviously, it’s cliché,” Bieber said, “but it’s cliché for a reason. We’ve got to deal with it.”
It also served as the rallying cry in 2016, when Kluber, Josh Tomlin and a nine-fingered Trevor Bauer pitched on short rest and the bullpen carried an unfathomably heavy load during the club’s implausible pursuit of a title.
“There are two ways to look at it,” Francona said. “You can feel sorry for yourself, which probably doesn’t end well. Or you can choose to fight back and feel like this is our time to shine. And I would choose No. 2. I’m aware that it got more difficult. We lost a great player. That doesn’t mean you can’t win. Just makes it a little harder.”
Since June 21 — a span of 200 at-bats — Ramírez had registered a .325/.370/.675 slash line, with 38 extra-base hits. He’ll be on the short list of candidates for Player of the Month honors for August, thanks to a 1.077 OPS.
That’s nearly impossible to replace. It helps that the Indians’ lineup now features Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes, a pair of right-handed hitters who force fans in the outfield seats to pay close attention. Jordan Luplow’s impending return should fortify the order even further against left-handed hurlers.
Reyes shifted into Ramírez’s No. 5 spot in the lineup Sunday and delivered a couple of late-inning blasts that startled the walleye in Lake Erie.
“If Reyes gets hot,” Francona said, “it’s a bat that’s not going to get hot with singles.”
(Ken Blaze / USA Today)
Chang made a brief cameo for the Indians at the end of June, filling in during Ramírez’s stint on the paternity list. He returned to Class AAA and recorded a .928 OPS in July, but Francona noted the 24-year-old has “been really streaky.”
Chang’s slugging percentage, by month:
April: .226
June: .552
July: .510
August: .390
(He missed May and part of June with a finger injury.)
Chang notched his first major-league hit, a sharply struck single to left, Sunday afternoon. He tacked on a triple off the center-field wall in the seventh.
Freeman, 32, has received more big-league playing time this season than his first three years in the majors combined. And why not? He has logged a .281/.368/.439 clip while playing four positions (not including his moonlighting on the mound).
It’s incredible to think that a team that limped into June with a losing record and a decimated rotation seems destined to eclipse last season’s win total of 91. (It also makes one wonder how well positioned the Indians might be had the front office been granted some extra financial wiggle room so that Eric Stamets and Max Moroff weren’t manning the middle infield and Hanley Ramírez wasn’t batting fifth in April.)
The Indians have already proved they can stomach a punch or two to the gut. The underdog role, which Francisco Lindor has long proclaimed to prefer, doesn’t work, though, unless players actually perform on the field.
“We have plenty of talent on the team to do it,” Freeman said. “We’ll just have to find ways to win games, like we’ve done.”
The day Ian Kinsler’s line drive broke Carrasco’s hand on Sept. 17, 2016 — on Carrasco’s second pitch of the game — the Indians’ bullpen pieced together 10 scoreless innings of relief. That’s the sort of effort in which a team proves to itself that another injury doesn’t have to signal a death knell.
Who delivered the walk-off hit to seal a 1-0 victory that day and nudge the Indians closer to their first division crown in nine years?
José Ramírez.
Ramírez sported a glistening gold watch and “JR11” chain to accent his black and gold shirt as he exited the home clubhouse Sunday afternoon, heading to catch his flight to New York. The Indians don’t know exactly how long he’ll remain in street clothes, but they do know they need others to emerge in the wake of his untimely injury. It’s a challenging proposition, given Kluber’s setback, Carrasco’s situation and the state of the standings.
But as Carrasco noted, perhaps there are parallels to 2016 that should, at the very least, allow the Indians to believe they can handle what lies ahead.
“We can’t just every day lament the fact that José’s hurt,” Francona said. “That’s not going to help us win games. Everybody has to chip in anyway. When we win, that’s the way we win.”
(Top photo: Scott R. Galvin / USA Today)
Zack Meisel Aug 25, 2019 22
CLEVELAND — The realization struck Carlos Carrasco as he reflected on the Indians’ resurgence earlier this month. He considered how the club has weathered injuries to Corey Kluber and Mike Clevinger, how his teammates rallied around him following his leukemia diagnosis.
“This reminds me of 2016,” Carrasco said.
That fall, the Indians waded into October waters without their Nos. 2 and 3 starting pitchers and their left fielder. Their catcher was limited to emergency duty. Yet, nothing thrown at that team — aside from a late-night rain delay, perhaps — rattled it.
Now, as September approaches and the Indians find themselves monitoring the daily goings on in Oakland, Tampa and Minneapolis, they continue to read frustrating news on the injury wire.
José Ramírez will undergo surgery Monday afternoon in New York, placing his season in jeopardy. He suffered a fractured hamate bone in his right hand/wrist area after an uncomfortable swing Saturday night. His wrist had bothered him before that, but doctors told Terry Francona (and Ramírez confirmed) the two injuries are unrelated. Once Dr. Thomas Graham completes the operation, the Indians will have a clearer idea of a timetable for Ramírez.
“We need all of us to contribute,” Ramírez said via an interpreter, “so I felt really bad when that happened.”
This obviously raises the degree of difficulty for the Indians’ postseason push. Ramírez’s summer resurrection had reinforced that his ceiling remains an MVP candidate, and that his early-season inabilities were, in fact, uncharacteristic, not some new norm.
It’s unfair to expect Yu Chang and Mike Freeman to match that level of production, of course, but they’ll attempt to fill in at third base.
“It’s the situation we’re dealt,” Freeman said. “We just have to step up and try to piece it together. One person’s not going to be able to do the job that he’s done, certainly in the second half. So, we’ll get creative. We’ll step up and fill the void.”
That’s served as the Indians’ mantra all season. The club bid farewell to Clevinger, Kluber and Carrasco for extended periods, only to have a couple of rookies in Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale breathe new life into the pitching staff, while Shane Bieber emerged as a front-line option.
“Obviously, it’s cliché,” Bieber said, “but it’s cliché for a reason. We’ve got to deal with it.”
It also served as the rallying cry in 2016, when Kluber, Josh Tomlin and a nine-fingered Trevor Bauer pitched on short rest and the bullpen carried an unfathomably heavy load during the club’s implausible pursuit of a title.
“There are two ways to look at it,” Francona said. “You can feel sorry for yourself, which probably doesn’t end well. Or you can choose to fight back and feel like this is our time to shine. And I would choose No. 2. I’m aware that it got more difficult. We lost a great player. That doesn’t mean you can’t win. Just makes it a little harder.”
Since June 21 — a span of 200 at-bats — Ramírez had registered a .325/.370/.675 slash line, with 38 extra-base hits. He’ll be on the short list of candidates for Player of the Month honors for August, thanks to a 1.077 OPS.
That’s nearly impossible to replace. It helps that the Indians’ lineup now features Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes, a pair of right-handed hitters who force fans in the outfield seats to pay close attention. Jordan Luplow’s impending return should fortify the order even further against left-handed hurlers.
Reyes shifted into Ramírez’s No. 5 spot in the lineup Sunday and delivered a couple of late-inning blasts that startled the walleye in Lake Erie.
“If Reyes gets hot,” Francona said, “it’s a bat that’s not going to get hot with singles.”
Chang made a brief cameo for the Indians at the end of June, filling in during Ramírez’s stint on the paternity list. He returned to Class AAA and recorded a .928 OPS in July, but Francona noted the 24-year-old has “been really streaky.”
Chang’s slugging percentage, by month:
April: .226
June: .552
July: .510
August: .390
(He missed May and part of June with a finger injury.)
Chang notched his first major-league hit, a sharply struck single to left, Sunday afternoon. He tacked on a triple off the center-field wall in the seventh.
Freeman, 32, has received more big-league playing time this season than his first three years in the majors combined. And why not? He has logged a .281/.368/.439 clip while playing four positions (not including his moonlighting on the mound).
It’s incredible to think that a team that limped into June with a losing record and a decimated rotation seems destined to eclipse last season’s win total of 91. (It also makes one wonder how well positioned the Indians might be had the front office been granted some extra financial wiggle room so that Eric Stamets and Max Moroff weren’t manning the middle infield and Hanley Ramírez wasn’t batting fifth in April.)
The Indians have already proved they can stomach a punch or two to the gut. The underdog role, which Francisco Lindor has long proclaimed to prefer, doesn’t work, though, unless players actually perform on the field.
“We have plenty of talent on the team to do it,” Freeman said. “We’ll just have to find ways to win games, like we’ve done.”
The day Ian Kinsler’s line drive broke Carrasco’s hand on Sept. 17, 2016 — on Carrasco’s second pitch of the game — the Indians’ bullpen pieced together 10 scoreless innings of relief. That’s the sort of effort in which a team proves to itself that another injury doesn’t have to signal a death knell.
Who delivered the walk-off hit to seal a 1-0 victory that day and nudge the Indians closer to their first division crown in nine years?
José Ramírez.
Ramírez sported a glistening gold watch and “JR11” chain to accent his black and gold shirt as he exited the home clubhouse Sunday afternoon, heading to catch his flight to New York. The Indians don’t know exactly how long he’ll remain in street clothes, but they do know they need others to emerge in the wake of his untimely injury. It’s a challenging proposition, given Kluber’s setback, Carrasco’s situation and the state of the standings.
But as Carrasco noted, perhaps there are parallels to 2016 that should, at the very least, allow the Indians to believe they can handle what lies ahead.
“We can’t just every day lament the fact that José’s hurt,” Francona said. “That’s not going to help us win games. Everybody has to chip in anyway. When we win, that’s the way we win.”
(Top photo: Scott R. Galvin / USA Today)
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
7135Jason Lloyd put Bauer on blast on STO this evening.
He said he was in clubhouse when Bauer got traded, though he hadn't heard yet. He said Clevinger walked up to him an hugged him. So Lloyd asked one of the players, why is Clev hugging Bauer? The player said, "Probably because that is his last friend in here". He then found out he had been traded.
Lloyd also said in the offseason when Bauer was placed on the block, a lot of players were calling Indians players they knew and asking, what do you think of Bauer? And the Tribe players would say, 'well, do you want the good or the bad, cause there is plenty of both.'
He said when he was pitching well the players would put up with him, but the way he pitched this year, and the stunt where he threw the ball over the wall, he just wasn't worth the trouble any more.
Personally, I say dude is a fruitcake, always was. Though like I said, when he was pitching well he was just eccentric. I could ignor his dumb crap. But this year it was nearly impossible. Good riddance.
He said he was in clubhouse when Bauer got traded, though he hadn't heard yet. He said Clevinger walked up to him an hugged him. So Lloyd asked one of the players, why is Clev hugging Bauer? The player said, "Probably because that is his last friend in here". He then found out he had been traded.
Lloyd also said in the offseason when Bauer was placed on the block, a lot of players were calling Indians players they knew and asking, what do you think of Bauer? And the Tribe players would say, 'well, do you want the good or the bad, cause there is plenty of both.'
He said when he was pitching well the players would put up with him, but the way he pitched this year, and the stunt where he threw the ball over the wall, he just wasn't worth the trouble any more.
Personally, I say dude is a fruitcake, always was. Though like I said, when he was pitching well he was just eccentric. I could ignor his dumb crap. But this year it was nearly impossible. Good riddance.
Re: Articles
7136Well, that throw over the center field fence was the last straw. If you can't even get along with Tito, that's a disaster.
Under those circumstances, the return they ended up getting for him is borderline miraculous.
Under those circumstances, the return they ended up getting for him is borderline miraculous.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
7137Path to the postseason: What to know about the Indians’ chase for October
Zack Meisel Aug 27, 2019 16
DETROIT — For the first time in three years, the Indians’ daily results in August and September carry some intrigue. And that’s underselling it a bit.
The next month promises plenty of drama, especially as the Indians welcome back some familiar faces from the injured list, attempt to figure out how to deploy them and try to replace the void left by José Ramírez’s finicky hamate bone.
So, let’s examine the Indians’ standing — what challenges remain on their schedule, what players might play the most meaningful roles over the final 31 games and what storylines to follow.
The three stages of this Indians season
1. Go ahead and book that October trip to Hilton Head
Carlos Gonzalez batted fourth one day and was designated for assignment the next. The Indians and winning were as synonymous as Hanley Ramírez and bat speed, or peanut butter and ketchup on a sandwich. This team once stood at 29-30. Then again, this isn’t really that team. It’s undergone quite the face-lift.
2. Who are these people and how do they never lose?
Mike Chernoff noted that the younger the Indians’ roster became, the better the team played. Maybe the Cleveland Infants were on to something in 1890. Rookies and near-rookies — Oscar Mercado, Zach Plesac and Shane Bieber, to name a few — spurred the resurrection, and Ramírez emerged from hibernation to support their cause. The Indians recorded the league’s best record from June 1 to Aug. 1.
3. The leading cause of cardiac arrest is watching pennant-race baseball every night in August and September
In addition to monitoring the Indians’ nightly results, fans are scanning the scoreboard to see what’s happening with Minnesota, Oakland and Tampa Bay. Nine out of 10 doctors do not recommend.
Three crucial series on the docket
CLE @ TB, Aug. 30-Sept. 1
Yandy Díaz, sidelined with a fractured foot, will wind up missing all seven games against the Indians this season. As the Indians eye the AL Central crown, they’re also in a heated battle with the Rays and Athletics for the two wild-card game tickets. Tampa is playing the Astros this week, and it has games remaining against the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers. Oakland gets to bully Kansas City and Detroit, though it also must travel to the Bronx and to Houston.
CLE vs. PHI, Sept. 20-22
These teams haven’t squared off since April 2016, and it seems sort of odd to have them battle so late in the season, especially as both attempt to nail down a playoff spot. Fun fact that means nothing when these teams meet in a few weeks: Bryce Harper is 0-for-9 in his career against the Indians.
CLE @ WAS, Sept. 27-29
Who doesn’t love the fact Major League Baseball operates with different sets of rules for its two groups of teams? We have self-driving cars in 2019, but consistent rules across both leagues? Let’s not get crazy here. Imagine if, in the NBA, only Western Conference teams used a shot clock.
Anyway, the Indians will have to bench one of the members of their starting lineup for the final series of the regular season. Starting to fall in love with Franmil Reyes’ moonshots? Don’t grow too attached; he might be limited to a pinch-hitting role as the Indians scrap to secure a postseason berth. Both teams might desperately need to win the Yan Gomes Bowl. It could be a doozy.
OK, but those are all on the undercard, because this is the main event:
CLE @ MIN, Sept. 6-8
CLE vs. MIN, Sept. 13-15
The Indians and Twins will clash six times in 10 days in September. A few months ago, it seemed as though the second series might offer the Twins a chance to celebrate the passing of the division torch with a carpet-soaking champagne bash in the visitors clubhouse at Progressive Field. Neither team will be spraying bubbly with two weeks remaining in the regular season, but a strong showing by either side could go a long way in determining the division champion.
Remaining schedules:
CLE: @DET, @TB, CWS, @MIN, @LAA, MIN, DET, PHI, @CWS, @WAS
MIN: @CWS, @DET, @BOS, CLE, WAS, @CLE, CWS, KC, @DET, @KC
Three-ish key pitchers and one key position player
Carlos Carrasco
In an ideal scenario, Carrasco would fill some Andrew Miller-type fire-breathing super-reliever role, submitting multi-inning efforts full of mid-90s heat and off-speed pitches that induce foolish-looking swings. The Indians have, understandably, been hesitant to heap those sorts of expectations upon a guy who was diagnosed with leukemia three months ago. But he’s throwing hard, he’s eager to pitch and, goodness, would it be a moving moment if he trotted in from the bullpen at Progressive Field next week for the first time since May.
Brad Hand
The Indians can’t afford any more ninth-inning slip-ups, even if that’s a bit unfair. Hand sealed a pair of victories against the Royals over the weekend. He said he identified some delivery tweaks that could alleviate his command issues.
Zach Plesac/Aaron Civale
Even with an influx of relievers ready to return the instant the calendar flips to September, the Indians will need some consistency from their starting pitching. Bieber and Mike Clevinger need backup. We know what to expect from Adam Plutko, who has been solid in the second half. Six innings, three runs. Rinse, repeat. But there remains some mystery about what rookies Plesac and Civale might offer in September in the height of a postseason chase.
Franmil Reyes
As he rounded the bases Sunday afternoon, there were fist pumps and handclaps. There might have even been a bit of skipping.
“Honestly, it was one of the best moments in my life, not my career,” Reyes said about his game-tying, three-run blast. “It was great. Just turning at second base and looking to the dugout — how everybody was fired up. It was a crazy moment.”
Reyes might end up with 40 home runs this season, despite a slow start with his new team. He’s adjusting to a new league, new pitchers, new surroundings, and he said his timing has been a bit off.
Help is on the way: Three-ish September additions to watch
Jordan Luplow
He ran the bases Sunday and will play for Class AAA Columbus on Tuesday night. The Indians could certainly use his stick against left-handed pitching (1.073 OPS versus lefties this season).
Corey Kluber
We’ll have a better idea of Kluber’s capabilities within the next week. It seems like a stretch to think he can ramp up to return to the rotation, especially since the minor-league season is winding down. Can he contribute out of the bullpen in multi-inning bursts? With Kluber and Carrasco and a flexible September roster, the Indians should be able to piece together an effective pitching plan for the final month.
Cam Hill and James Karinchak, maybe
If the Indians want some new blood in the bullpen, these are the two youngsters to summon. Karinchak has struck out multiple hitters in 25 of his 28 outings this season. His strikeout rate is absolutely absurd (21.9 per nine innings). And yes, while his walk rate is a bit high, he has limited opponents to a .141/.267/.202 slash line this season.
Hill’s most recent appearance was a rough one, but those have been rare. He owns a 2.93 ERA this year, with 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings, which would seem more impressive if not revealed a few sentences after Karinchak’s otherworldly rate.
Three numbers to watch (well, aside from the ones in the standings)
151: Plesac’s innings total
Francona hasn’t shared any strict innings cap for any of the club’s young starters, but their workloads are worth monitoring. Bieber logged 194 innings between the minors and majors last season, and he’s sitting at 175 this season. Civale spent some time on the injured list, so he just crossed the 100-inning barrier in his last outing. Plesac has totaled a career-high 151 innings this season. The Indians are giving him a bit of a breather by bumping up Clevinger to start in Detroit on Thursday afternoon. That also allows Clevinger to pitch the series finale in Minnesota on Sept. 8 (plus again later that week against the Twins).
.477: Roberto Pérez’s August OPS
Any team would be thrilled with its No. 9 hitter posting a .755 OPS, with 20 home runs before the end of August. It’s been a rough go for Pérez lately, though, as he has logged a .138/.219/.259 slash line this month, with 24 strikeouts in 67 plate appearances and hits in only six of his 18 games. He’s been banged up, which hasn’t helped, but with Ramírez on the sideline, the Indians need all the offense they can muster.
No. 1: The bullpen
The Indians still rank first in the majors in bullpen ERA (3.50), ahead of the Cardinals (3.63), Astros and Rays (both 3.74), even though the unit has regressed a bit this month. Bullpens are bad in 2019. The average pen totes a 4.55 ERA. The Indians could use an above-average September from their deep arsenal of relievers.
Zack Meisel Aug 27, 2019 16
DETROIT — For the first time in three years, the Indians’ daily results in August and September carry some intrigue. And that’s underselling it a bit.
The next month promises plenty of drama, especially as the Indians welcome back some familiar faces from the injured list, attempt to figure out how to deploy them and try to replace the void left by José Ramírez’s finicky hamate bone.
So, let’s examine the Indians’ standing — what challenges remain on their schedule, what players might play the most meaningful roles over the final 31 games and what storylines to follow.
The three stages of this Indians season
1. Go ahead and book that October trip to Hilton Head
Carlos Gonzalez batted fourth one day and was designated for assignment the next. The Indians and winning were as synonymous as Hanley Ramírez and bat speed, or peanut butter and ketchup on a sandwich. This team once stood at 29-30. Then again, this isn’t really that team. It’s undergone quite the face-lift.
2. Who are these people and how do they never lose?
Mike Chernoff noted that the younger the Indians’ roster became, the better the team played. Maybe the Cleveland Infants were on to something in 1890. Rookies and near-rookies — Oscar Mercado, Zach Plesac and Shane Bieber, to name a few — spurred the resurrection, and Ramírez emerged from hibernation to support their cause. The Indians recorded the league’s best record from June 1 to Aug. 1.
3. The leading cause of cardiac arrest is watching pennant-race baseball every night in August and September
In addition to monitoring the Indians’ nightly results, fans are scanning the scoreboard to see what’s happening with Minnesota, Oakland and Tampa Bay. Nine out of 10 doctors do not recommend.
Three crucial series on the docket
CLE @ TB, Aug. 30-Sept. 1
Yandy Díaz, sidelined with a fractured foot, will wind up missing all seven games against the Indians this season. As the Indians eye the AL Central crown, they’re also in a heated battle with the Rays and Athletics for the two wild-card game tickets. Tampa is playing the Astros this week, and it has games remaining against the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers. Oakland gets to bully Kansas City and Detroit, though it also must travel to the Bronx and to Houston.
CLE vs. PHI, Sept. 20-22
These teams haven’t squared off since April 2016, and it seems sort of odd to have them battle so late in the season, especially as both attempt to nail down a playoff spot. Fun fact that means nothing when these teams meet in a few weeks: Bryce Harper is 0-for-9 in his career against the Indians.
CLE @ WAS, Sept. 27-29
Who doesn’t love the fact Major League Baseball operates with different sets of rules for its two groups of teams? We have self-driving cars in 2019, but consistent rules across both leagues? Let’s not get crazy here. Imagine if, in the NBA, only Western Conference teams used a shot clock.
Anyway, the Indians will have to bench one of the members of their starting lineup for the final series of the regular season. Starting to fall in love with Franmil Reyes’ moonshots? Don’t grow too attached; he might be limited to a pinch-hitting role as the Indians scrap to secure a postseason berth. Both teams might desperately need to win the Yan Gomes Bowl. It could be a doozy.
OK, but those are all on the undercard, because this is the main event:
CLE @ MIN, Sept. 6-8
CLE vs. MIN, Sept. 13-15
The Indians and Twins will clash six times in 10 days in September. A few months ago, it seemed as though the second series might offer the Twins a chance to celebrate the passing of the division torch with a carpet-soaking champagne bash in the visitors clubhouse at Progressive Field. Neither team will be spraying bubbly with two weeks remaining in the regular season, but a strong showing by either side could go a long way in determining the division champion.
Remaining schedules:
CLE: @DET, @TB, CWS, @MIN, @LAA, MIN, DET, PHI, @CWS, @WAS
MIN: @CWS, @DET, @BOS, CLE, WAS, @CLE, CWS, KC, @DET, @KC
Three-ish key pitchers and one key position player
Carlos Carrasco
In an ideal scenario, Carrasco would fill some Andrew Miller-type fire-breathing super-reliever role, submitting multi-inning efforts full of mid-90s heat and off-speed pitches that induce foolish-looking swings. The Indians have, understandably, been hesitant to heap those sorts of expectations upon a guy who was diagnosed with leukemia three months ago. But he’s throwing hard, he’s eager to pitch and, goodness, would it be a moving moment if he trotted in from the bullpen at Progressive Field next week for the first time since May.
Brad Hand
The Indians can’t afford any more ninth-inning slip-ups, even if that’s a bit unfair. Hand sealed a pair of victories against the Royals over the weekend. He said he identified some delivery tweaks that could alleviate his command issues.
Zach Plesac/Aaron Civale
Even with an influx of relievers ready to return the instant the calendar flips to September, the Indians will need some consistency from their starting pitching. Bieber and Mike Clevinger need backup. We know what to expect from Adam Plutko, who has been solid in the second half. Six innings, three runs. Rinse, repeat. But there remains some mystery about what rookies Plesac and Civale might offer in September in the height of a postseason chase.
Franmil Reyes
As he rounded the bases Sunday afternoon, there were fist pumps and handclaps. There might have even been a bit of skipping.
“Honestly, it was one of the best moments in my life, not my career,” Reyes said about his game-tying, three-run blast. “It was great. Just turning at second base and looking to the dugout — how everybody was fired up. It was a crazy moment.”
Reyes might end up with 40 home runs this season, despite a slow start with his new team. He’s adjusting to a new league, new pitchers, new surroundings, and he said his timing has been a bit off.
Help is on the way: Three-ish September additions to watch
Jordan Luplow
He ran the bases Sunday and will play for Class AAA Columbus on Tuesday night. The Indians could certainly use his stick against left-handed pitching (1.073 OPS versus lefties this season).
Corey Kluber
We’ll have a better idea of Kluber’s capabilities within the next week. It seems like a stretch to think he can ramp up to return to the rotation, especially since the minor-league season is winding down. Can he contribute out of the bullpen in multi-inning bursts? With Kluber and Carrasco and a flexible September roster, the Indians should be able to piece together an effective pitching plan for the final month.
Cam Hill and James Karinchak, maybe
If the Indians want some new blood in the bullpen, these are the two youngsters to summon. Karinchak has struck out multiple hitters in 25 of his 28 outings this season. His strikeout rate is absolutely absurd (21.9 per nine innings). And yes, while his walk rate is a bit high, he has limited opponents to a .141/.267/.202 slash line this season.
Hill’s most recent appearance was a rough one, but those have been rare. He owns a 2.93 ERA this year, with 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings, which would seem more impressive if not revealed a few sentences after Karinchak’s otherworldly rate.
Three numbers to watch (well, aside from the ones in the standings)
151: Plesac’s innings total
Francona hasn’t shared any strict innings cap for any of the club’s young starters, but their workloads are worth monitoring. Bieber logged 194 innings between the minors and majors last season, and he’s sitting at 175 this season. Civale spent some time on the injured list, so he just crossed the 100-inning barrier in his last outing. Plesac has totaled a career-high 151 innings this season. The Indians are giving him a bit of a breather by bumping up Clevinger to start in Detroit on Thursday afternoon. That also allows Clevinger to pitch the series finale in Minnesota on Sept. 8 (plus again later that week against the Twins).
.477: Roberto Pérez’s August OPS
Any team would be thrilled with its No. 9 hitter posting a .755 OPS, with 20 home runs before the end of August. It’s been a rough go for Pérez lately, though, as he has logged a .138/.219/.259 slash line this month, with 24 strikeouts in 67 plate appearances and hits in only six of his 18 games. He’s been banged up, which hasn’t helped, but with Ramírez on the sideline, the Indians need all the offense they can muster.
No. 1: The bullpen
The Indians still rank first in the majors in bullpen ERA (3.50), ahead of the Cardinals (3.63), Astros and Rays (both 3.74), even though the unit has regressed a bit this month. Bullpens are bad in 2019. The average pen totes a 4.55 ERA. The Indians could use an above-average September from their deep arsenal of relievers.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
7138Was thinking of HB's "take" on Tito sitting the Franimal vs National League teams.
I thought about it as Reyes slid into 2B with his double yesterday. Take a good long look at this giant. He may be a giant but he really is quite athletic for his size. He really moved.
I agree HB - he played RF all year in San Diego. Get him out there - it's only a few games.
I thought about it as Reyes slid into 2B with his double yesterday. Take a good long look at this giant. He may be a giant but he really is quite athletic for his size. He really moved.
I agree HB - he played RF all year in San Diego. Get him out there - it's only a few games.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Articles
7139I could see maybe sitting him a game against a tough righty like Thor, but all 3 games? Even against the lefty Matz? Ridiculous.
Re: Articles
7140Meisel’s Musings: Carlos Carrasco’s potential return and a one-eyed replay coordinator’s revenge
By Zack Meisel 3h ago 8
DETROIT — From the day he received his distressing diagnosis, Carlos Carrasco was adamant he would return to a major-league mound this season.
That aim has fueled Carrasco all summer, from the early carefree games of catch to his recent minor-league rehab outings, in which he pumped 97 mph heat past helpless young hitters. But now, that target is within range.
Should Carrasco’s appearance for Class AAA Columbus on Thursday unfold without issue, the Indians plan to activate him Sunday, when teams can expand their rosters to 40 players. That could mean an appearance at Tropicana Field in Tampa, where Carrasco’s family resides. Or, he could pitch when the team returns to Cleveland for a four-game set against the White Sox next week.
Either way, it’s not as though Carrasco will be supplanting Brad Hand in the ninth inning of a dicey contest. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Terry Francona gradually build up Carrasco’s workload and the leverage of the situations he handles.
Francona said Dan Otero would likely rejoin the bullpen Sunday as well, in addition to a catcher (presumably Eric Haase) and an infielder.
Then, when the team returns to Cleveland, they’ll add more. And when Columbus’ season ends — they clinched their division — or when the Indians have a need, they’ll summon others.
Jordan Luplow shouldn’t be too far away. Jefry Rodriguez could factor into the equation at some point. Francona indicated Bradley Zimmer will remain in Columbus until their season ends.
“The thought with him,” Francona said, “is, unless there’s a direct need, let him play as long as they’re playing, just because it’d be good for him.”
They carry each other: How teammates and pitching have aided Carrasco during his leukemia battle
Give him a hand
Jason Kipnis endured a forgettable first two months of the season. But across his last 60 games, the second baseman boasts a .288/.353/.531 slash line. That includes his last two games, in which he has slugged three homers to the seats beyond the spacious Comerica Park outfield.
The 60-game sample began with the Indians’ previous trip to Detroit in mid-June, when Kipnis said he identified an adjustment with his hand alignment that “moves my contact point back, which means fewer rollovers, fewer ground balls to the right side.” At that time, he was surviving on self-deprecation and hope. Now, he seems sure of his tweaks.
So, are his hands still the secret behind his summer reversal of fortunes?
“It’s probably adjustment No. 100 by now,” Kipnis said. “It’s a game of adjustments. You’ve heard it before, but it’s literally as soon as you stop feeling too good, you try to find the next thing that works. Just have to stay ahead of that wave and keep finding anything that you have that day.”
(Raj Mehta / USA Today)
Quotes to note
“This is what we all heard about, ‘The Beast,’ when he was coming over from San Diego. That’s what ‘La Mole’ means, it’s ‘The Beast.’ We’re starting to see that beast come out in him. Tell you what, opposing pitchers: You might just want to step off and throw the ball over the fence as far as you can, because it’s headed that way.” — Adam Plutko on Franmil Reyes (and, indirectly, Trevor Bauer)
“I am in the right spot right now, what I like to feel. I am in my green light. You know the lights on the street? When you’re red, you’re bad. When you’re yellow, you’re in between. I feel green. I feel very, very comfortable at the plate.” — Franmil Reyes
Final Thoughts
1. It took 33 2/3 innings for Aaron Civale to surrender his first big-league home run. Detroit’s Dawel Lugo clubbed his fourth career homer in his 277th plate appearance. In fact, the Tigers’ starting nine entered Wednesday’s game with a combined total of 50 home runs this season. Franmil Reyes has 33 himself.
2. The soft-spoken Civale owns a 1.96 ERA through his first six starts with the Indians, and he has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any outing.
“He throws a lot of strikes,” Kipnis said. “It’s fun to watch because it’s literally around the zone and moving a lot. You don’t see too many barrels on him. For such a young age and not many starts under his belt, he has a lot of composure, he doesn’t really get too rattled and just does a lot of things right.”
3. Roberto Pérez prior to 2019: 21 home runs in 963 plate appearances
Roberto Pérez in 2019: 21 home runs in 374 plate appearances
Playing time, health and confidence all play a part in that development, but Pérez is quick to reveal his priorities.
“I’m a defensive guy first,” he said.
Carlos Santana holds the club record for home runs in a season by a catcher. Santana socked 27 homers in 2011, his first full big-league season.
4. Five Indians prospects who will participate in the Arizona Fall League: 3B Nolan Jones, INF Ernie Clement, LHP Kirk McCarty, RHP Brock Hartson, C Gavin Collins. Jones, widely regarded as the organization’s top prospect, entered Wednesday’s action with a .273/.409/.438 slash line split between High-A Lynchburg and Double-A Akron this season.
5. Francona, following a failed challenge on Yasiel Puig’s bid to steal third base Tuesday, on replay coordinator Mike Barnett, who underwent an operation to repair a detached retina last week:
“We’ve got Barney on replay and he’s got one eye. I mean, I don’t know. Somebody told me midgame that Cole Eye Institute called and they didn’t take credit for Barney’s surgery.”
Ah, but Barnett would not be deterred. The Indians won two challenges Wednesday.
“You know what? He rallied,” Francona said. “Those were obviously two pretty big calls. We mess with him a lot. He does a great job. We wouldn’t mess with him if he didn’t, but that’s not an easy job.”
DETROIT — From the day he received his distressing diagnosis, Carlos Carrasco was adamant he would return to a major-league mound this season.
That aim has fueled Carrasco all summer, from the early carefree games of catch to his recent minor-league rehab outings, in which he pumped 97 mph heat past helpless young hitters. But now, that target is within range.
Should Carrasco’s appearance for Class AAA Columbus on Thursday unfold without issue, the Indians plan to activate him Sunday, when teams can expand their rosters to 40 players. That could mean an appearance at Tropicana Field in Tampa, where Carrasco’s family resides. Or, he could pitch when the team returns to Cleveland for a four-game set against the White Sox next week.
Either way, it’s not as though Carrasco will be supplanting Brad Hand in the ninth inning of a dicey contest. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Terry Francona gradually build up Carrasco’s workload and the leverage of the situations he handles.
Francona said Dan Otero would likely rejoin the bullpen Sunday as well, in addition to a catcher (presumably Eric Haase) and an infielder.
Then, when the team returns to Cleveland, they’ll add more. And when Columbus’ season ends — they clinched their division — or when the Indians have a need, they’ll summon others.
Jordan Luplow shouldn’t be too far away. Jefry Rodriguez could factor into the equation at some point. Francona indicated Bradley Zimmer will remain in Columbus until their season ends.
“The thought with him,” Francona said, “is, unless there’s a direct need, let him play as long as they’re playing, just because it’d be good for him.”
They carry each other: How teammates and pitching have aided Carrasco during his leukemia battle
Give him a hand
Jason Kipnis endured a forgettable first two months of the season. But across his last 60 games, the second baseman boasts a .288/.353/.531 slash line. That includes his last two games, in which he has slugged three homers to the seats beyond the spacious Comerica Park outfield.
The 60-game sample began with the Indians’ previous trip to Detroit in mid-June, when Kipnis said he identified an adjustment with his hand alignment that “moves my contact point back, which means fewer rollovers, fewer ground balls to the right side.” At that time, he was surviving on self-deprecation and hope. Now, he seems sure of his tweaks.
So, are his hands still the secret behind his summer reversal of fortunes?
“It’s probably adjustment No. 100 by now,” Kipnis said. “It’s a game of adjustments. You’ve heard it before, but it’s literally as soon as you stop feeling too good, you try to find the next thing that works. Just have to stay ahead of that wave and keep finding anything that you have that day.”
Quotes to note
“This is what we all heard about, ‘The Beast,’ when he was coming over from San Diego. That’s what ‘La Mole’ means, it’s ‘The Beast.’ We’re starting to see that beast come out in him. Tell you what, opposing pitchers: You might just want to step off and throw the ball over the fence as far as you can, because it’s headed that way.” — Adam Plutko on Franmil Reyes (and, indirectly, Trevor Bauer)
“I am in the right spot right now, what I like to feel. I am in my green light. You know the lights on the street? When you’re red, you’re bad. When you’re yellow, you’re in between. I feel green. I feel very, very comfortable at the plate.” — Franmil Reyes
Final Thoughts
1. It took 33 2/3 innings for Aaron Civale to surrender his first big-league home run. Detroit’s Dawel Lugo clubbed his fourth career homer in his 277th plate appearance. In fact, the Tigers’ starting nine entered Wednesday’s game with a combined total of 50 home runs this season. Franmil Reyes has 33 himself.
2. The soft-spoken Civale owns a 1.96 ERA through his first six starts with the Indians, and he has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any outing.
“He throws a lot of strikes,” Kipnis said. “It’s fun to watch because it’s literally around the zone and moving a lot. You don’t see too many barrels on him. For such a young age and not many starts under his belt, he has a lot of composure, he doesn’t really get too rattled and just does a lot of things right.”
3. Roberto Pérez prior to 2019: 21 home runs in 963 plate appearances
Roberto Pérez in 2019: 21 home runs in 374 plate appearances
Playing time, health and confidence all play a part in that development, but Pérez is quick to reveal his priorities.
“I’m a defensive guy first,” he said.
Carlos Santana holds the club record for home runs in a season by a catcher. Santana socked 27 homers in 2011, his first full big-league season.
4. Five Indians prospects who will participate in the Arizona Fall League: 3B Nolan Jones, INF Ernie Clement, LHP Kirk McCarty, RHP Brock Hartson, C Gavin Collins. Jones, widely regarded as the organization’s top prospect, entered Wednesday’s action with a .273/.409/.438 slash line split between High-A Lynchburg and Double-A Akron this season.
5. Francona, following a failed challenge on Yasiel Puig’s bid to steal third base Tuesday, on replay coordinator Mike Barnett, who underwent an operation to repair a detached retina last week:
“We’ve got Barney on replay and he’s got one eye. I mean, I don’t know. Somebody told me midgame that Cole Eye Institute called and they didn’t take credit for Barney’s surgery.”
Ah, but Barnett would not be deterred. The Indians won two challenges Wednesday.
“You know what? He rallied,” Francona said. “Those were obviously two pretty big calls. We mess with him a lot. He does a great job. We wouldn’t mess with him if he didn’t, but that’s not an easy job.”
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain