CLEVELAND: Indians manager Terry Francona confirmed on Saturday what was essentially already known, that catcher Yan Gomes’ season has likely reached its conclusion after he sustained a nondisplaced fracture of his right wrist when he was struck with a pitch on Wednesday in Akron.
Francona said Gomes is likely looking at a rehab of six to eight weeks but will not need surgery.
“There’s a little more clarity,” Francona said. “I think the expectation that he would play [again] would be really unfair to Gomer. If something miraculous happens to happen, good. But chances are his season’s over.”
Roberto Perez and Chris Gimenez will, health permitting, be the catchers the Indians bring into the postseason if they hold onto their lead in the standings.
Additional clarity was also brought to Lonnie Chisenhall’s situation. He’s been day-to-day with lower abdominal discomfort. Francona said Chisenhall felt something while working out in the weight room and then realized something was wrong while running.
“He was trying to branch out in his routines in there and I think he felt it,” Francona said. “I don’t think he knew he did anything until he got out in the field and actually started running. There was no silliness or [maliciousness] or something wrong, it just happened.”
‘Space Jam’ for Lindor
Francisco Lindor changed his walk-up music to the opening song in Space Jam and later received a customized Space Jam jersey from a fan that he’s worn several times while warming up. It is a basketball movie, but with the sequel aiming to be centered on LeBron James, there’s also a potential Cleveland connection.
For now, Lindor isn’t actively trying to get into the next Space Jam movie. But if they called?
“If they ask, why not?” Lindor said. “If they invite me, I’d love to be in it.”
Taming the Tigers?
How one team does against another in one year doesn’t really mean it’ll happen the next. But considering the Indians’ severe struggles against the Detroit Tigers in recent years, and how they’ve basically been treated like the bullied little brother since 2013, the Indians’ dominance over the Tigers has been one of the more astounding stats connected to their 2016 season.
The Indians were 12-1 against the Tigers entering Saturday’s game, a complete reversal of the past several years of shortcomings and frustrations.
The Indians have taken advantage of nearly every Tigers mistake, jumping on hanging breaking balls and ensuring any errors have been costly. The vaunted Tigers lineup has been stifled. Friday night’s 11-4 win was a case study, and that trend has continued all season.
“It’s huge, especially in a big game like this, but we’ve been able to do that all year,” Mike Napoli said. “Other teams make mistakes and we’ve been able to pounce on them and take advantage.”
This current series is one that has potentially given the Indians a chance to nearly put the American League Central Division away for good. But many, like Corey Kluber, try to look at it as only the next series on the calendar.
“Obviously, it’s a big series, but I don’t know if it was more pressure or anything like that,” Kluber said. “You know the situation. You know that we’re ahead of them and they’re chasing us. So, in that sense, it’s a big series. But you try to separate all that stuff, I guess, when you get out there in the game, and really try to just take it as another game.”
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ.