The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Players mending during delay
One silver lining that comes with waiting out the delay to the start of Major League Baseball because of the novel coronavirus is players who would have missed opening day March 26 because of injury are getting more time to heal.
For the Indians, that means starting pitcher Mike Clevinger should be fully recovered from Feb. 14 arthroscopic surgery on his left knee whenever the season does begin. The timeline for him returning to baseball activity was six to eight weeks. April 10 will mark eight weeks since the surgery.
Starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco had two setbacks during spring training in Goodyear, Ariz. Both proved to be minor – a strained right hip flexor suffered Feb. 19 and inflammation in his right elbow (throwing arm) detected March 7. Doctors gave Carrasco an injection March 11.
Indians president Chris Antonetti said Carrasco returned to Cleveland and Clevinger returned to his Florida home when players dispersed from Goodyear to continue rehabbing from their injuries.
The problem Clevinger, Carrasco and all starting pitchers will face the longer the start of the season is delayed is being ready to pitch more than just a couple innings at the beginning of the season. For that reason, baseball is discussing expanding rosters to add more pitchers on each roster.
The COVID-19 delay to the start of the season means outfielder Tyler Naquin could be fully recovered from Sept. 13 reconstructive surgery on his right knee when baseball resumes.
Naquin was injured Aug. 30 when he crashed into the left-field wall making a spectacular catch in Tropicana Field against the Rays. An MRI showed his right ACL and lateral meniscus were torn on the play. Doctors had to wait for swelling to subside before they could operate two weeks later.
The projected recovery time of seven to nine months left a window of between mid-April and midJune for Naquin’s return. He headed to Goodyear determined to be ready on the short end of the timetable
“He had his surgery in Texas,” Indians manager Terry Francona told reporters in Goodyear just before spring training was suspended on March 12. “Before he can ever resume full baseball activities, he
has to go back to Texas to get clearance, and that will probably be in very early April.
“He’s doing terrific. Regardless of what schedule is in place, he’s doing terrific.”
Naquin healthy would be a huge boost to an Indians’ outfield hoping to find stability. Oscar Mercado, recovering from a left wrist injury (his catching hand) is established at center field, but the corner spots are not as settled.
Ideally, Franmil Reyes will be the right fielder if he continues to proves himself defensively. Platooning Jordan Luplow and Jake Bauers in left field would be the likely option if Naquin isn’t ready. But now Naquin could be an everyday choice for Francona with the season unlikely to start before Mid-May at the earliest.
“I feel really good,” Naquin said even before spring training began. “I’ve been running and doing light
sprints, moving forward and doing some soft landing.
“I’m extremely excited to get back out there. I’m trusting the process and listening to my body.”
Naquin is no stranger to surgery. He had right hip surgery on July 26, 2018, and missed the rest of the season. That experience taught him what to expect this time.
“Once you get to this stage it’s more of a mental
thing and trusting it again,” Naquin said. “It’s not going to change my style of play.”
Naquin, a left-handed batter, played in 89 games and was hitting .288 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI and 34 runs scored when he was injured. He started 64 games against a righthanded pitcher and hit .288 with seven home runs and 26 RBI. He started 25 game against lefties and hit .291 with three home runs and eight RBI.