Carrasco on DL with possible elbow fracture

The Indians placed pitcher Carlos Carrasco on the 10-day disabled list June 17.

The Indians placed pitcher Carlos Carrasco on the 10-day disabled list June 17. If he can return to the starting rotation after missing two starts, they will feel very fortunate.

Carrasco was hit on the right elbow/forearm June 16 in the second inning on a line drive that left the bat of Minnesota Twins first baseman Joe Mauer traveling 99.6 mph.

The Indians reported initial Xrays were negative. More tests are scheduled for June 18 at a Cleveland area hospital.

Francona thought Carrasco was being examined more closely around 7:30 p.m. June 16, but doctors decided to wait until swelling subsides.

“(A possible elbow fracture) is what they would be certainly looking for,” manager Terry Francona said on June 17 in his pregame news conference at Progressive Field before the Indians faced the Twins in the series finale. “So far they kind of have maintained that they’re calling it a contusion,

which, would be fortunate, and we’d be really happy with.”

Carrasco (8-5) was forced to leave the game after the ball hit by Mauer shot off Carrasco directly to first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who stepped on the bag for the easy out. Carrasco gave up four runs in the first inning was charged with the loss in the 9-3 defeat.

“I thought he got hit in the head, and I was almost relieved when I got out there,” Francona said. “I don’t mean it like that, because I know he got hit in the pitching arm. I just thought he got hit in the head and my heart was in

my stomach when I saw it. So when I saw him out there I knew he was hurt, but I knew it wasn’t his head.”

The Indians have an offday June 21, which would be Carrasco’s normal day to pitch. Francona said Adam Plutko will take Carrasco’s spot in the rotation.

“We have the ability to, with the off day, to maneuver a little bit,” Francona said. “I think right now the plan is he’ll just slide in there. But I think we also kind of want to see how the week goes.”

Shane Bieber, called up from Columbus to pitch against the Twins on June 17, could also get the start

against the Tigers on June 22. Plutko was going to get the start June 17. But those plans changed because Francona was forced to use Plutko as one of six relievers after Carrasco’s short exit.

Meanwhile, the Indians got more bad news about their pitching staff. Reliever Tyler Olson was placed on the 10-day DL with a lat strain.

“It’s been bothering him for a while now and he didn’t say anything,” Francona said. “I think now he’s kind of kicking himself.”

Evan Marshall was recalled from Columbus to take Olson’s spot in the bullpen.