CLEVELAND – Mitch Talbot was already getting close to his innings limitation for the season. After what took place Sunday at Progressive Field, the Indians might just decide to shut him down now.
Talbot departed from Sunday’s 6-2 loss to Minnesota after facing just three batters (14 pitches). The early diagnosis is right shoulder inflammation.
“Mitch had a tough time getting loose,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. “He just didn’t look right to me. We wanted to be on the cautious side.”
Acta and team trainers visited Talbot on the mound after he walked the leadoff batter on five pitches, but the right-hander stayed in the game to face Orlando Hudson and Joe Mauer, allowing singles to both before leaving for good.
“This guy is a battler,” Acta said. “He was close to fighting me for taking him out, but we have to do what’s right for him.”
“I wanted to stay out there to see if I could get it to fire for me,” Talbot said. “It just wouldn’t do it for me.”
Talbot was examined by a team doctor after the game and is scheduled for an MRI today.
“None of us our really worried about the MRI showing anything but inflammation,” said Talbot, who has already spent time on the disabled list with a mid-back strain. “It’s not a big worry for us. It’s not out of the ordinary with a long season.”
Talbot’s early exit might have served to hasten the end of the season for Justin Masterson, who replaced Talbot and worked seven innings. Masterson was moved to the bullpen Saturday in hopes of keeping him active for the remainder of the season by limiting his innings.
Acta said Matserson had around seven innings left before possibly being shut down.
“The plan was to use him one or two innings here and there, but this was an emergency type of thing, and he was the right guy to do it,” Acta said.
Donald down
Second baseman Jason Donald was not in the lineup a day after a ball he bunted caught his hand on the bat. Acta said Donald has two bruised fingers on his right hand.
“He’s going to be out a couple of days, probably three to five,” Acta said.
Pack your bags
The Indians are one of four American League teams that have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, sliding back into last place in the Central Division with a 58-85 record.
“We’re just going to go home with another 21 ballclubs,” Acta said. “A lot of things out of our control happened here, and unfortunately, it didn’t give us a chance. Now, it’s about developing these kids.”
Next up
The Indians are off today, wrapping up the homestand with a three-game series against the Angels that begins Tuesday night at 7:05.
Josh Tomlin (3-3, 4.18 ERA) opens the set for Cleveland, opposing LHP Scott Kazmir (8-13, 5.98), while Jeanmar Gomez (3-3, 3.07) starts Wednesday (7:05 p.m.) against RHP Jered Weaver (11-11, 3.14).
Fausto Carmona (12-14, 3.86) goes for the Indians in the series finale Thursday (7:05 p.m.), while the Angels counter with RHP Ervin Santana (15-9, 4.02).
Thome time
Jim Thome’s game-winning home run in the 12th inning Saturday was his 12th homer in extra innings, which is the most by any active player in the majors.
Thome, Cleveland’s franchise leader with 334 home runs, played in two of the three games against his former team, going 2-for-8 with a homer, two RBIs and a run. He is batting .254 with 19 homers and 53 RBIs against the Indians since leaving the club via free agency in 2003.
Minor detail
The opener of Class A Lake County’s Midwestern League semifinal series against Great Lakes was rained out Saturday. The two teams tried again Sunday, with left-hander Giovanni Soto pitching for the Captains. … Triple-A Columbus opens its Governors’ Cup Championship Series against Louisville/Durham on Tuesday.
Roundin’ third
Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 13 games, accounting for the longest streak by a Cleveland rookie since Coco Crisp did the same in 2003. … The Indians and Twins failed to score a run through 11 innings of Minnesota’s 1-0 victory Saturday. It was the longest stretch without a run in a game in the history of Jacobs/Progressive Field.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.
