Cleveland Indians: Jason Kipnis back in rehab action with Akron

Jason Kipnis is currently rehabbing with the Akron RubberDucks as he continues to work toward his return to the Cleveland Indians.

While Cleveland Indians fans watched the team find new ways to lose Tuesday night, one missing piece was down in the minor leagues on a rehab assignment.

Jason Kipnis was in action with the Akron RubberDucks, going 0-4 at the plate. The lack of hits isn’t much to get excited about, but the fact he played without pain is a great sign.

Kipnis talked about how things are feeling better following the game.

The key for Kipnis was playing without pain in his hamstring, and as he said he has to get to the point of pushing it on the field without fear of causing an injury.

He only played seven innings Tuesday night, but is set for an entire game with the RubberDucks tonight.

More from Away Back Gone

• Cleveland Guardians tantalizingly close to locking up AL Central tiebreakers
• Cleveland Guardians: Terry Francona becomes meme in profanity-laced ejection
• Say goodbye to defensive shifts and hello to bigger bases, pitch clock in 2023
• Cleveland Guardians: Shane Bieber second-fastest to 800 strikeouts in major-league history
• The next week will make or break the Cleveland Guardians’ season

Kipnis’ slash line of .232/.292/.402 this season with the Indians is well below what fans were hoping for, but we all know he has the natural ability to turn things around.

And to be fair, those stats are in just 66 games, as he has dealt with injuries all season. 66 games is just not enough time to make a firm judgment on his value this year.

The absence of Kipnis has allowed Erik Gonzalez and Giovanny Urshela to get more playing time.

The combination of Urshela at third and Jose Ramirez at second helps defensively, but Urshela is still scuffling on offense, picking up just eight hits in 44 at-bats. Gonzalez has done a bit better at the plate, but the veteran Kipnis remains the ideal option in the lineup.

Kipnis is one of the leaders of this team and even when he is struggling he is still an asset. This doesn’t mean he should hit second in the order with his .232 average, but it does mean Terry Francona can trust him not to make a dumb decision in a crucial moment.

Baseball involves a lot of luck, and having smart players on the field helps avoid balls dropping in play or laying down foolish bunts.

Next: Best prospects from the first half of the season

Now that Kipnis appears to be headed back soon, the focus shifts to Lonnie Chisenhall, barring any other injuries on the roster.