Cleveland, OH (92.3 The Fan) – The Indians will be without another one of their starts on Friday. Jose Ramirez isn't in the lineup after he fouled a ball off of his left foot during Thursday's 4-1 win over Toronto. The pain prevented him from finishing Thursday's game and the injury got worse overnight.
"He woke up and he was really stiff and sore, which is not shocking when you look at the weather and everything," manager Terry Francona said. "We took him for precautionary X-rays – he's fine. He's actually moving around a lot better already. We'll see later on about pinch-hitting him. I'd hate to turn a one day thing into a four day thing, but I think he's going to be fine."
Tito says Jose Ramirez is sore, but may be available to DH tonight against Toronto pic.twitter.com/olyL5Tw86j
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien)
April 5, 2019 The Indians won't have three of their four starting infielders on Friday. That may be tough to stomach, but preserving Ramirez's long-term health is the right call by Francona.
Bieber's Back – Shane Bieber will get his first start of the season tonight against Toronto. The 23-year-old hopes to build on the potential he showed last season. His success is important, especially on a night when the Indians
will be without their top hitters.
"He's so mature beyond his years and he's getting better right in front of our eyes," Francona said. "Bieber seems to execute his best pitches when he needs to. That's a trait that really helps. We saw that last year with him so often – he'd get himself in a tight spot, but then he'd execute the best pitches of the game."
The Indians have high expectations for Bieber, who will get plenty of starts this season. He is expected to start every sixth day.
CarGo Impresses – Carlos Gonzalez had an impressive debut for the Columbus Clippers on Thursday night. He finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and a double. The Indians want to take it slow with the 33-year-old, but he's off to a good start.
Infielder Ryan Flaherty also impressed, going 3-for-4 with four RBI. Don't be shocked if the veteran joins the big league club at some point if the Indians' infield continues to struggle.
Passed the Test – Both Hanley Ramirez and Carlos Santana passed their U.S. Citizenship tests. Francona made the announcement prior to Friday's game. The two will be sworn in on April 19.
