CLEVELAND -- Less than a week after being struck above the throwing elbow with a line drive, Indians starter Carlos Carrasco is working his way back to full health.
Manager Terry Francona announced Friday that Carrasco started a throwing program ahead of the Tribe's series opener against the Tigers at Progressive Field. The right-hander has been out since last Saturday, when he suffered a right elbow contusion after getting struck in the arm in the second inning of his start against the Twins.
Francona said Carrasco was throwing up to 90 feet, with hopes Carrasco can take another step forward in the near future.
"He'll do that for the foreseeable future," Francona said of Carrasco. "And at some point, he'll be ready for a bullpen. The best guess-timate we could give you is next week -- early next week, maybe late next week. … But that's kind of where we're at."
Until then, Carrasco is still working to reduce as much inflammation and swelling as possible.
"Now that he's out throwing, that should help too with getting the blood flowing," Francona said. "Get the range of motion back and all that so he can go out and throw. It's kinda hard to do that when you have swelling in there."
Francona said once Carrasco is able to complete some bullpen sessions he'll be reevaluated. But Francona said he's staying optimistic that Carrasco can rejoin the rotation sooner rather than later.
Through 91 1/3 innings in his 15 starts on the season, Carrasco is 8-5 with a 4.24 ERA.
"I think the good part about it is that he's up and throwing and he's probably going to come quicker rather than not," Francona said. "It's just because he's in shape and everything."

• Outfielder Bradley Zimmer received an anti-inflammatory shot in his right shoulder and will miss approximately four to six weeks, according to Francona. Zimmer last played for Triple-A Columbus on June 10.
The trip to the DL is Zimmer's second of the season -- he missed nearly three weeks with a left rib contusion after crashing into the right-center-field wall at Yankee Stadium on May 5. Zimmer was optioned to the Clippers on June 5 and was 2-for-18 in four games leading up to his injury.
"We know he's a tough kid and all that, but it's going to be a little while until he's back playing," Francona said. "Good news is he's going to be OK. Bad news is that he's missing out on the at-bats we really want him to get."
Worth noting
• Mike Clevinger was scheduled to start on Sunday against the Tigers, but had his start moved back a day and will instead take the hill Monday against the Cardinals, Francona said.

Clevinger has thrown at least 100 pitches in nine of his last 10 outings dating back to May 1 and is averaging 104.1 pitches per start -- which ranks third in the Majors this season. Making the start on Sunday will be right-hander Adam Plutko, who was scheduled to start the second game in St. Louis.
"[Clevinger]'s the one that probably isn't used to it, so giving him an extra day," Francona said. "We just thought that would help us more than anything. So, that's why we changed it."
• Relief pitcher Evan Marshall will be shut down 7-10 days after an MRI revealed ulnaritis in the right elbow. Marshall exited Monday's game against the White Sox and was placed on the 10-day DL on Tuesday with right elbow inflammation.
"Structurally, [the elbow] is pretty good," Francona said. "Now, when someone feels something in there, though, they still feel it. When guys say that, your first thought is, 'Oh boy, what did they do?'"
• Outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall was back in the starting lineup Friday after missing the last two games with tightness in both calves. Though the time off was just precautionary, Chisenhall was out from April 8-June 4 with a right calf strain.
• The Indians announced Friday that the club has signed outfielder Ruben Cardenas -- the team's 16th-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Cardenas, 20, hit .294 with 14 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 33 runs scored and 36 RBIs with Cal State Fullerton in 2018. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder was selected No. 493 overall.
The Indians have now signed 27 of 42 selections from the 2018 Draft. The team also signed right-handed pitcher Lenny Torres Jr., the No. 41 overall pick, and right-hander Cody Morris (No. 233 overall) on Tuesday.