CLEVELAND — One of the Indians’ two key injured components, right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, could be back in the lineup by the start of next week, but the prognosis on the other, center fielder Grady Sizemore, isn’t as positive.
Though it had been speculated, Cleveland manager Manny Acta confirmed that Sizemore, on the disabled list with a right knee injury and recovering from abdominal surgery, would not return by the end of the month.
Acta said Sizemore, who has played in 61 games this season after consecutive injury-plagued years, has not participated in any baseball activities but could begin playing catch and swinging a bat by the end of the week.
He would not commit to Sizemore beginning a minor-league rehab assignment in early September, nor to how much the three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove award winner could contribute if he is able to return.
“Who knows?” Acta said. “Who knows if Choo is going to be major contributor. We we won’t know until these guys are back on the field.”
Choo (broken left thumb) began a rehab assignment Monday at Class A Lake County, where he served as the designated hitter Tuesday night. Acta said Choo would be evaluated in Cleveland today before playing in higher-level games in the minors until his activation.
“Assuming everything works out well and he feels comfortable, I would say a week of rehab games,” Acta said. “It’s still going to be a day-to-day evaluation thing.”
Choo, batting .244 with five home runs and 28 RBIs in 72 games this season, has been sidelined since June 25.
(bullet) Acta said RHP Carlos Carrasco (right elbow inflammation) is expected to miss the next three weeks, two thanks to the injury and another week while serving his six-game suspension.
“The medical staff doesn’t think it’s a long-term thing,” Acta said of Carrasco’s injury.
Tigers talk
The Indians had recent history on their side as they opened a pivotal three-game series against Central Division-leading Detroit, winning 11 straight against the Tigers at Progressive Field dating back to last year.
Cleveland had won four of six games against Detroit this season, including all three at home.
“I would rather be four games up,” Acta said of the Tigers’ lead over the Indians in the division standings. “There’s still a lot of games left. I don’t like to talk about series. I like to talk about today. We’re the ones trailing. We’re the ones that have to close the gap and not allow them to get too far away.
“We saw how tough it is to make a deficit. We held a seven-game lead for almost two months. But I’ve also seen deficits made up pretty quick in this game.”
Bullpen blues
It was not a good road trip for Cleveland’s relief corps, which had a hand in all four losses during a seven-game stint against Boston and Texas.
“It’s the cycle of the season,” Acta said. “They’ve been so good. There’s going to be times that they struggle. We were facing two good teams.”
Cleveland’s pen, a strength of the team for much of the season, posted a 4.54 ERA in July with a 4.87 ERA in August (through Monday).
Minor details
The Indians named Triple-A Columbus outfielder Jerad Head their minor league player of the week for July 31-Aug. 6. Head, a non-drafted free-agent acquisition in 2005, hit .393 (11-for-28) over the span, with five homers and 11 RBIs in six games. He entered Tuesday batting .290 with the team lead in homers (23) and RBIs (63) in 97 games. … Double-A Akron RHP Austin Adams was named Eastern League pitcher of the week for Aug. 1-7, going 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in two starts over the span. Adams, a fifth-round draft pick in 2009, is 9-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 22 starts for the Aeros.
Roundin’ third
Beginning with Tuesday’s series opener against Detroit, the Indians play 12 straight games and 15 of their next 18 against division opponents. Of their remaining 49 games, 37 are within the division. … The Indians signed local product Brian Ruiz (41st-round draft pick), an outfielder out of Lincoln West High School. Acta met Ruiz at a speaking engagement in Cleveland last year. … Tonight, 7:05, STO/WTAM 1100-AM/WEOL 930-AM. Jimenez (6-9, 4.64) vs. Porcello (11-6, 4.49).
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
