The injuries continue to pile up for the Cleveland Indians.
The latest news is that outfielder Jordan Luplow will be placed on the IL.
Jordan Luplow will be placed on the IL. He's been dealing with an ankle injury. He received an MRI, but the team hasn't gotten the full report back on it yet.
— Ryan Lewis (@ByRyanLewis) May 28, 2021
Luplow’s ankle issue is not shocking news.
He missed plenty of time in spring training and has not been able to stick as an everyday guy so far in 2021.
This injury also helps explain why Bradley Zimmer was called up this week.
The hope now is that rest will help resolve this issue as Luplow has been a key contributor when healthy this season.
His Year Thus Far
Luplow is a prime example of why you cannot solely look at batting average to determine how a player is doing.
If one did that, they would see an ugly .173 average jumping off the page.
However, Luplow has a .769 OPS as he has found a way both to get on base and hit for some power.
In fact, Luplow has seven home runs and 20 RBIs this season.
He is one of only four Indians with at least 20 RBIs and is third on the team in home runs.
Keep in mind he is not even a qualified batter due to his status as a platoon guy.
The ankle injury is extremely frustrating because it finally looked like Luplow was going to have a full season.
The most games he has ever played in an Indians uniform came in 2019 when he suited up 85 times.
He was a true platoon man that year and 2021 provided a shot to get more regular playing time given the state of the outfield.
Now the outfield shuffling continues as Luplow heads to the IL.
The Rest Of The Outfield
Eddie Rosario and Josh Naylor continue to hold down the corner spots.
As for center field, Harold Ramirez and now Zimmer will battle for time.
Ramirez holds the upper hand thanks to some solid play, but the Indians called up Zimmer to see what he can do in 2021.
#Indians have recalled OF Bradley Zimmer. Triston McKenzie optioned to Columbus.
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) May 27, 2021
Another rough set of games may be all it takes to dangle him in a trade or even cut him loose and go with younger players.
Both Daniel Johnson and Oscar Mercado are also deserving of further opportunities and are both younger than Zimmer.
Luplow will also regain his job when he can return.
The hope now is that 10 days should end up being enough time for him to heal.
Indians fans saw Zach Plesac hit the IL with a freak thumb injury and now Luplow is officially out as well.
Injuries are bound to happen over the course of a season, so it will be important to see how the team reacts.
Having so much young talent waiting in the wings could end up being a great thing as the front office continues to churn the roster.
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