GLENDALE, Ariz. – A day after receiving some bad news on the injury front – closer Kerry Wood — the Indians got some good news in the department.

Cleveland manager Manny Acta said first baseman Russell Branyan was expected to run and play catch Sunday at the team’s complex in Goodyear. Branyan has yet to make an exhibition appearance, still dealing with a herniated disk in his lower back, but the manager sounded as though the slugger was headed in that direction.

“He’s going to increase his activities this week,” Acta said.

Acta has said since the start of training camp that if Branyan is able to make it back for the final week of the exhibition season, he would be on the club’s opening-day roster.

The Indians even got some positive news where Wood is concerned, after announcing Saturday that the closer would miss 6-8 weeks with a strained muscle in his upper back on the right side.

Wood, who has made 12 trips to the disabled list during a 12-year career, told reporters prior to the Indians’ game against the Dodgers at The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch that he did not expect to miss the full two months. Former Cleveland reliever Rafael Betancourt dealt with the same injury in 2006 and missed only a month.

“Usually, you want to be on the safe side, but we all hope it’s not going to take that long,” Acta said.