On the cusp of clinching just their third playoff berth in the last decade, the Cleveland Indians got some bad news on Monday.
Right-hander Danny Salazar, who had to leave a start early on Friday with forearm tightness, has been diagnosed with “a mild strain to his flexor musculature” and is expected to miss the next 3-4 weeks of action, the team announced Monday on Twitter.
An update on RHP Danny Salazar: pic.twitter.com/kAyzJFYjrb
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) September 12, 2016
Part of a fearsome troika atop the Cleveland rotation along with Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, Salazar has gone 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 25 starts this season.
Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports adds that the recovery timetable effectively ends Salazar’s regular season and could shelve him for the first round of the postseason as well.
Tough news for #Indians: Danny Salazar out for 3-4 weeks with forearm strain, ending regular season and perhaps 1st round of playoffs
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 12, 2016
The Indians currently sit at 83-59, seven games ahead of the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central division lead, with 20 games left in the season. They already dealt with a lengthy absence from Carrasco earlier in the season, but the timing of Salazar’s injury could seriously complicate matters as they look ahead to a potential postseason run.
