Cleveland Indians catcher Roberto Perez will undergo surgery

Cleveland Indians backup catcher Roberto Perez will undergo surgery on Friday to repair damage to his broken right thumb. Perez suffered the injury during Saturday night's game in Philadelphia while diving to (successfully) make a tag at the plate.

There is not currently a timetable for Perez's return, but it's possible he won't need an extensive recovery period, and he could be back before the end of the month. (As with any operation, it's also possible there are complications and a longer absence is required. We should know more by the end of the weekend.)

Perez has appeared in four games this season, and is hitless, but sports a .400 on-base percentage due to the six walks he's drawn. He batted .228/.348/.402, with seven home runs in 226 plate appearances last year. Add that sort of offense to his very strong defensive skills, and you have one of the best backup catchers in baseball. The Indians acquired Chris Gimenez from the Rangers yesterday, and Gimenez will serve as the backup to Yan Gomes while Perez is on the disabled list.

While the backup catcher is not the most important player on the team, this is another example of tough health issues the Indians have had to face already this season. Hopefully, Perez is back at 100% soon, and the team avoids any other serious injuries.