A lot of moving parts for the Indians as the team has 28 days left until opening day as 11 guys will take off to play in the World Baseball Classic. But also some of the injured guys are coming around as well. Here are my notes from Monday March 6, 2017.
-After fouling a ball off of his foot OF Tyler Naquin just has a bruised foot and should be fine later in the week.
-Michael Brantley continues to progress as he hit off of Josh Tomlin who threw a simulated game earlier in the morning. Brantley didn’t have any hits but took a healthy cut on the first pitch he saw from Tomlin.
-Tomlin wasn’t surprised by the healthy swing as Brantley told him if he hit it out he was gonna round the bases, but Tomlin was having none of that.
-Also hitting vs Tomlin in the morning session was Indians 2nd baseman Jason Kipnis who is close to a return as well. He is scheduled to DH on Thursday as he is coming back from a right rotator cuff strain.
-OF Austin Jackson will make his Cactus League debut on Thursday as he comes back from knee surgery as he will start in center field.
-on the field the team play split squad games vs the Brewers and the Giants. The Brewers pounded the Tribe at home 14-4. Corey Kluber started and made it through 2 1/3 innings allowed 8 hits, 6 runs, with 4 strikeouts. It was Kluber’s spring debut. Jose Ramirez went 2-2 with a double and a pair of RBI.
-Over in Scottsdale Danny Salazar threw 2 1/3 innings where he allowed 2 hits, 2runs, with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts in a 3-2 loss.
-The Indians are off on Tuesday and resume Cactus League play on Wednesday against the Mariners, as Carlos Carrasco will take the mound for the Tribe.