Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Without Encarnacion, Indians try to carry on
NEW YORK — Edwin Encarnacion remained out of the Indians lineup Monday night in Game 4 of their American League Division Series against the Yankees.
The slugger has been sidelined since leaving Game 2 with a sprained right ankle Friday.
“We’re hoping that he’ll be able to pinch hit,” manager Terry Francona said Monday afternoon. “That’s kind of where we’re at.”
Michael Brantley replaced Encarnacion at designated hitter again as the Indians, leading 2-1 in the best-of-five series, tried to reach the AL Championship Series for the second straight season. The Indians had a chance Sunday to complete a threegame sweep but lost 1-0 to the Yankees as Brantley went 0-for-2 with a walk.
Encarnacion wasn’t even available off the bench in Game 3, Francona said. But the defending AL champions have chosen not to pursue replacing him on the active roster because that would make the three-time All-Star ineligible in the next round.
“I think we’re making the right decision,” Francona said. “Because to not have Edwin — and it hurt us (Sunday) night — to just write him off if we can move on, that would be tough to do.”
Encarnacion batted .258 with 38 home runs and 107 RBIs in his first season with the Indians this year. He was signed to a threeyear, $60 million contract after he spent seven-plus seasons with the Blue Jays.
“Obviously, you don’t replace a guy like Edwin, but we have a fairly deep lineup,” teammate Jason Kipnis said. “We have many RESULTS, SCHEDULE Indians 4, Yankees 0 Indians 9, Indians 8 Yankees 1, Indians 0 at Yankees, Late at Indians 8 p.m. Wednesday, FS1 other ways to create runs.”
Jay Bruce batted in Encarnacion’s cleanup spot in Game 3 and struck out all four times up, stranding three runners. Bruce, a big star in the first two games, was back in the No. 4 hole Monday.
Brantley, who was 0for-7 in the series, was moved up from seventh to sixth. The two-time AllStar missed the Indians’ run to the World Series last year and only recently returned from an ankle ligament injury that kept him out for 50 games after Aug. 8 this season.
Brantley’s luck hadn’t changed in the early going Monday as he went hitless in his first two at-bats against Yankees starter Luis Severino and struck out once.
“I think the hope is that the more at-bats he gets, the more his timing will come back and, in the meantime, he finds a way to help us win a game,” Francona said of Brantley. “I know it’s not ideal and it’s not easy.
“He hasn’t played very much. It’s pretty obvious that he’s not like midseason locked in. I still think he competes and he’s intelligent, and I bet you he’ll find a way to help us win.”
Lonnie Chisenhall was set to play left field after Austin Jackson started there in Game 3. Roberto Perez was the catcher for the second straight night rather than Game 2 star Yan Gomes.
Trevor Bauer pitched for the Indians on three days’ rest, but that stategy backfired as the Yankees bounced him after 12⁄3 innings. Bauer gave up four runs and four hits in the second, including Aaron Judge’s two-run double.