CLEVELAND -- It is looking more and more like Carlos Carrasco's next start will be for the Indians. With several days remaining until the pitcher would need to be added to the roster, though, Cleveland is keeping its options open for the time being.
"We're going to keep the door open," Indians manager Terry Francona said on Monday. "We haven't made a roster move and we'll certainly have to make one before he pitches, but keeping everybody here, we can see how the week goes and determine exactly what we want to do."
If Carrasco -- on the 15-day disabled list due to a left hamstring injury -- does make his next start for the Indians, it would likely be on Friday against the Royals. The big right-hander logged around 60 pitches in a Minor League rehab outing with Double-A Akron on Saturday, so he would probably limited to around 80 pitches in his next outing. That being the case, Francona said the team may opt to "piggyback" Carrasco with another pitcher.
Francona also said the door is also open for Carrasco to make one more Minor League rehab appearance, if that is the direction the medical staff thinks is best.
"It's a possibility," Francona said. "We're leaving all the options open. I think we want to continue to discuss it a little bit. And mainly, when I say discuss it, I mean allow the medical people as much time as we can with him. Then, we're able to make a baseball decision based on good medical information and not guessing. He's doing fine."
Other items of note from Monday
• Catcher Yan Gomes entered Monday batting .162 with a .564 OPS in 19 games in May. For Monday's game against the Rangers, Francona dropped the struggling catcher to the ninth spot in the batting order with the idea of taking some pressure off him.
"I'm just trying to take a little bit of the heat off of him," Francona said. "You can tell, you watch his body language, he's wearing it a little bit. You can tell. He's been so good with hitting with runners on base, which has kind of been the saving grace, but [hopefully this will] take the heat off of him a little bit."
• Indians left fielder Michael Brantley (on the 15-day DL with right shoulder fatigue) continues to work through a hitting progression, which currently includes non-contact swinging and light hitting off a tee. Said Francona: "We're trying to build him back up and do it in a way where he builds up and doesn't go the other way."
• Indians reliever Joba Chamberlain, who is on the 15-day DL with a left intercostal injury, was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Monday. Francona noted that Chamberlain (1.93 ERA in 14 outings) is doing well and will likely be ready to be activated when he is eligible (June 6).