Cleveland Indians: Remaining hopeful with Michael Brantley

Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley left Sunday’s game early, but the early diagnosis looks like it isn’t a major injury.

The main story surrounding the Cleveland Indians today was the performance of the pitching staff. From Mike Clevinger to Cody Allen, the staff allowed a single hit in a 1-0 victory to win the series over the Kansas City Royals.

But a worrisome moment came early in the game when Michael Brantley left early in the game.

The injury apparently occurred in the third inning when Brantley stepped on first base, leaving fans worried about whether this was a major injury. With Corey Kluber already hitting the DL, fans don’t want to see any other players miss significant time.

But the word right now isn’t doom and gloom, at least according to a tweet from the Indians.

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If this is indeed the case, there is no need to make a roster move. But with the current eight-man bullpen, Jose Ramirez and Carlos Santana slot in as the emergency outfielders in case of any issues before Brantley returns.

The healthy group of Lonnie Chisenhall, Brandon Guyer and Abraham Almonte are all the Indians have, as Austin Jackson is on a DL stint of his own.

But there is no need for Terry Francona to have to get creative as the team heads to Toronto, given Brantley’s ankle sprain is just a minor thing.

But both Francona and Brantley must be smart with this injury, as rushing back into action could do damage if Brantley is stubborn and wants to return.

But after last season, it would be hard to imagine Brantley being anything but cautious with his own body. He saw what a lingering injury could do to his career.

Next: Clevinger made a statement in his debut

For now, fans just have to trust the word of the trainers and Brantley. And if for some reason he wakes up tomorrow and his ankle is in pain, there is plenty of depth in the organization to slot in while he recovers.