CLEVELAND -- Circumstances dictated that the Indians play a man short on Wednesday night.
Prior to Cleveland's game against the White Sox, the Indians placed starting pitcher Josh Tomlin on Major League Baseball's Family Medical Emergency List, giving the right-hander between three to five days to tend to a personal matter. As a result, the Tribe fielded a 24-man roster for Wednesday's meeting with Chicago.
On Thursday, the Indians plan to activate right-hander Danny Salazar from the 15-day disabled list in order for him to start against the White Sox. Salazar will assume the roster spot vacated by Tomlin, buying Cleveland a few days before needing to make a subsequent transaction.
Cleveland will need to make a corresponding transaction when it adds Tomlin back to the roster.
Tomlin has gone 11-6 with a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts this season, with his most recent outing coming on Monday against the Red Sox. That would put Tomlin on pace to start again on Saturday, unless Cleveland shuffles its rotation in light of his current situation.
Salazar has been shelved since Aug. 2 after experiencing inflammation in his right elbow. The right-hander has done a series of bullpen sessions, including a simulated game, leading up to his scheduled outing against the White Sox on Thursday. In 20 starts this year, Salazar has gone 11-4 with a 3.38 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 117 1/3 innings.