Streaking Indians lose Brantley to ankle sprain

The surging Cleveland Indians won't have their veteran left fielder in the lineup for the next little while as they look to pad their lead atop the American League Central, as the club placed Michael Brantley on the 10-day disabled list Monday with a sprained right ankle.

Brantley, who hasn't played since Wednesday, missing his club's four-game series against the Minnesota Twins to attend the birth of his third child, suffered the injury in early May during a series at Kauffman Stadium and played through discomfort for the last six weeks.

"Over the weekend, it just wasn't getting better to the point where we were like, 'Man, with the 10-day DL, give him a chance to get it to where he's not limping around all year,'" Indians manager Terry Francona told MLB.com's Mandy Bell. "We know what the diagnosis is, and everything and everyone is kind of on the same page. I think we were just hoping it would feel better. He just needs a little bit more time."

He is eligible to return next Monday, the team announced, when the Indians open a four-game set against the Texas Rangers.

After missing virtually the entire 2016 season following shoulder surgery, Brantley, an All-Star in 2014, returned with aplomb this year, hitting .296/.360/.432 (103 OPS+) with five home runs, 28 doubles, and seven stolen bases in 54 games before landing on the disabled list.

Winners in five straight games, the Indians head into Monday's series opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards with a two-game division lead.