Bourn better, could be back by Sunday

CLEVELAND -- Indians center fielder Michael Bourn is feeling good and believes he is closing in on the finish line to his injury rehab.

Following Wednesday's doubleheader against the Padres, Bourn was in Cleveland's clubhouse and was in good spirits. The outfielder tested his left hamstring in a Minor League rehab game with Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday, and he is scheduled to play consecutive nine-inning games with Double-A Akron on Thursday and Friday.

In a best-case scenario, Bourn said he might be able to activated from the 15-day disabled list as early as Sunday. With a team off-day scheduled for Monday, there is also the chance that Cleveland waits until it opens its three-game road series with the Tigers, beginning on Tuesday.

"It felt good," Bourn said of his latest rehab game at Columbus. "I ran down the line three times, made good strides. I felt smooth running down to first base. I'll just pick it back up [Thursday] where I left off."

Bourn injured his hamstring while running the bases in a Spring Training game against the Giants on March 16 and has been taking things slow since that setback. It is the same hamstring Bourn had surgically repaired on Oct. 15, but both the center fielder and the Indians have indicated that the injuries are unrelated.

"I'll just continue to try to make strides on it," Bourn said, "take it one day at a time, strengthen it and hopefully be back to join the team. ... I'm trying to be patient and make the right decision and let my leg tell me what to do best. It's still a long season. It's early."