While the Cleveland Indians don’t have much to play for at this point, they should be encouraged by the recovery of two of their potential future stars.
Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, who is on a rehab assignment with Double-A Akron, might soon return with the Indians. Chisenhall has been out since June 30 after getting hit by a pitch on his right forearm.
The left-handed hitting Chisenhall posted a .278 average with three home runs and nine RBIs in 24 games with the Tribe this season. I believe Chisenhall, an adequate fielder, will hit for both average and power as he matures.
Another player with a high ceiling for success is starter Carlos Carrasco. Carrasco threw a perfect inning for Akron Wednesday in his first appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery last September.
The Indians could use a healthy Carrasco in the rotation next season. He went 8-9 with a 4.62 ERA for Cleveland in 2011 before injuring his elbow.
The right-hander has plenty of potential. In June last year, Carrasco had a five-start run where he posted an 0.98 ERA before arm issues cropped up.
–The Pittsburgh Pirates’ pursuit of an NL wild-card spot took a hit with back-to-back losses to the Chicago Cubs this weekend. The Pirates are the only NL team to have lost consecutive home games against the Cubs. The Pirates, through Saturday, still were only a game-and-a-half behind St. Louis in the race for the second wild-card spot.
Excluding a four-game series at New York, the Pirates finish out the season facing division opponents.