Indians' Brantley to remain shut down for 7-10 days
Not every piece of news gracing the Cleveland Indians these days is positive.
Outfielder Michael Brantley has been on the shelf since suffering an ankle injury on Aug. 8. After seeing a foot and ankle specialist on Tuesday, the team announced that he will not resume running for at least another 7-10 days.
Dr. Thomas Clanton in Vail, Colo. confirmed a diagnosis that Brantley is suffering from a deltoid ligament sprain and ankle synovitis.
The timeframe of his recovery means Brantley will not appear in another regular season game this year, barring a miracle. It also puts his postseason status in jeopardy.
Brantley has only appeared in 99 games since the beginning of the 2016 season, after he firmly established himself as one of the team's offensive linchpins.
With rookie Bradley Zimmer also sidelined with a left hand injury, the Indians are relying on Jay Bruce, Austin Jackson, and even Jason Kipnis to patrol the outfield grass.
Despite Brantley missing the majority of two seasons on the disabled list, the Indians have managed to qualify for the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 1998-99.
In 88 games this season, Brantley has hit .299/.358/.445 with nine home runs and 11 stolen bases.