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Francisco Lindor strained his right calf.
That’s a blunt and stubby lede, but the news is, too.
Francisco Lindor has sustained a right calf strain while preparing for ST. He has started rehab & is expected to return to Major League game activity in 7-to-9 weeks.
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) February 8, 2019
Get well soon & keep smiling!
We are confident that everyone will handle this news calmly & rationally ... pic.twitter.com/x19uXFClGC
The 7-9 week timetable means that the All-Star shortstop might be ready to return to Major League action in time for Opening Day. He is likely to miss all of spring training.
Indians prospect Yu Chang stands to benefit from the news thanks to increased reps throughout the spring. If Lindor’s injury extends beyond the first day of the season he is the most likely candidate at this time to replace Lindor in the starting lineup. Max Moroff is the other shortstop currently listed on the 40-man roster.
A calf strain isn’t likely to be a significant limitation on Lindor’s contributions this season, though fans will recall the battles waged by Lonnie Chisenhall against similar injuries during the last several years. The team also owns a recent reputation for initially underplaying the severity of injuries whether intentional or not.
This isn’t exactly what we had in mind when we complained about the offseason being too boring, baseball gods.