Throughout a 162-game season, there are bound to be plenty of momentum shifts, positive or negative. The Indians are trying to fight the latter right now.
The Indians had built a four-game lead in the American League Central but losses in four of their past five games and a three-game sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals erased it.
The Indians, off Thursday, now enter a six-game homestand tied with the Royals atop the division at 35-30 each. What was once a solid lead in the division with some momentum in the right direction is again a four-team dogfight.
Indians manager Terry Francona wasn’t pleased after Wednesday’s 9-4 beatdown.
“We didn’t play very well,” Francona told reporters in Kansas City. “I think that’s on me. They weren’t prepared to play tonight and I guarantee you that will change.”
After the Indians and Royals, the Detroit Tigers (33-32) and reeling Chicago White Sox (33-33) are both within 2½ games entering Thursday. A three-game series against the White Sox awaits, as two teams trying to find the right path again meet.
Trevor Bauer (4-2, 3.69 ERA) will take the mound against Jose Quintana (5-7, 2.66 ERA) Friday night. On Saturday, the Indians get their first look at the newly acquired and ever struggling James Shields (0-1, 16.71), who will go up against Danny Salazar (7-3, 2.19), one of the early leading candidates for the AL Cy Young. On Sunday, Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 3.40) faces Carlos Rodon (2-6, 4.28).
The Indians miss White Sox ace Chris Sale this time around, a fortunate act of scheduling after they went 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position against the Royals.
Shut down
Starting pitcher Cody Anderson, currently with Triple-A Columbus, was placed on the seven-day disabled list this week with inflammation in his right elbow. Francona told reporters in Kansas City that Anderson will be shut down for about 10 days and then could be back in games in three or four weeks.
The 2016 season hasn’t been kind to Anderson, who won a job in the Opening Day rotation after coming to camp looking like a new person and throwing harder than he ever had. Anderson has been bouncing back-and-forth between Cleveland and Columbus while dealing with home run issues. With the Indians, he’s 1-4 with a 7.48 ERA and has given up 11 home runs in 43⅓ innings. He was also recently taken deep twice in Triple-A by former teammate Nick Swisher.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ