CLEVELAND — According to manager Manny Acta, designated hitter Travis Hafner (strained right oblique) will take batting practice over the next couple days, with a minor-league rehab assignment to follow.
Hafner, who has been sidelined since May 18, told The Associated Press that he could return for the Indians’ next homestand, which begins June 17 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Prior to the injury, Hafner was one of the most productive hitters on the team. He batted .345 with five home runs and 22 RBIs in 32 games before straining the oblique during batting practice.
Cleveland’s offense has struggled in Hafner’s absence. Since May 18, the Indians have averaged 3.4 runs, while batting .227 as a team. Their record over the span is 7-12.
“You can’t use it as an excuse,” Cleveland manager Manny Acta said. “Every team is going through injuries. But we know we don’t have that bat in there. We knew coming off last year that we had to have every single one of these guys healthy and contributing. We have to survive and weather the storm.”
Splintered stick
Second baseman Orlando Cabrera has played better defense as of late, but the veteran is struggling at the plate, entering Tuesday batting .148 (9-for-61) over his last 18 games and 2-for-18 over his last five games, to drop his season average to .245.
“He has struggled against right-handed pitching, mostly,” Acta said. “His numbers in the past have been much better.”
Cabrera, who entered Tuesday two hits shy of 2,000 for his career, was hitting just .228 (33-for-145) against right-handers. He entered the year with a career .270 average against righties.
Draft days
The MLB Draft continued Tuesday with rounds 2-30 completed.
The Indians, who took high school shortstop Francisco Lindor with their first-round selection (eighth overall) Monday, tabbed right-handed pitchers in three of the next four rounds.
In the second round (67th overall), Cleveland selected Dillon Howard, a right-hander out of Searcy H.S. (Ark.), followed by RHP Jake Sisco (third round), Merced College (Calif.); catcher Jake Lowery (fourth round), James Madison University; and RHP Will Roberts (fifth round), University of Virginia.
The Indians are high on the Puerto Rican-born Lindor, 17, who was taken out of Montverde Academy (Fla.). He moved to the Orlando, Fla. area to start his high school career.
“From what I hear, the kid has the chance to be the best position player coming out of the draft,” Acta said. “It’s risk-reward with a young kid like that. But behind (Asdrubal) Cabrera, we need some depth at shortstop.”
The draft wraps up today with rounds 31-50.
Minor details
Triple-A Columbus’ Luis Valbuena entered Tuesday on a 16-game hitting streak. Valbuena, who has played in 194 games for the Indians over the past two seasons, was hitting .302 with four homers and 30 RBIs in 49 games. … Double-A Akron’s Tim Fedroff was named Eastern League player of the month, leading the EL with a .412 batting average, 42 hits and an OPS of .465 in May. Fedroff, a seventh-round draft pick in 2008, entered Tuesday hitting .362 with two homers and 30 RBIs in 52 games. … High-A Kinston LHP Giovanni Soto was named Indians minor league player of the week after tossing six shutout innings, while allowing just two hits and striking out 10 in a 1-0 victory last Tuesday. Soto (4-4, 3.02 ERA, 11 starts), acquired from the Tigers in a trade for Jhonny Peralta last year, ranked seventh in the Carolina League with 58 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings through Monday.
Roundin’ third
Michael Brantley entered Tuesday batting .341 (14-for-41) over his last 10 games. He had five homers in 56 games through Monday after entering the season with just three in 100 career games. … Today, 12:05, Masterson (5-4, 3.28) vs. Pavano (3-5, 4.83).
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
