RADIO
Michael Brantley (lower back) could return to the lineup for the Cleveland Indians as soon as Friday.
The all-star outfielder has been dealing with pain in his lower back since the beginning of the season. Brantley played opening day and then again three games later. He sat out the two games in between and three straight after his last games.
The 27-year-old is coming off a breakout season in 2014 where he had a .327 BA with 200 hits, 20 HR and almost 100 RBI. Indians manager Terry Francona is going to be very cautious with the team’s best player.
"I think he's really trending in a good way," Francona told MLB.com on Tuesday. "If you see him playing tomorrow, he's perfect. Because, with the day off [Thursday], we want to make sure we get him going in the right direction and keep him going in the right direction."
According to what Francona told Brantley, he has been "looked at extensively" by medical experts, including by a specialist not on the team's staff. Cleveland remains positive that Brantley won’t land on the disabled list and that this back problem will go away.
While the Royals and the Tigers have started the season with a combined 13-1 record, the Indians will need the all-star back soon before they fall too far out of the race for the AL Central. Cleveland is off to a 2-4 start.
