Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale play wrestling, and 5 other things about Indians

HOUSTON – It won’t change the fact that the Indians send three starting rookies to the mound against the Astros in this series that started Monday night. But at least it offered a glimpse of what could still happen this season.

Hours before Monday’s first pitch, Indian right-hander Shane Bieber and Aaron Civale tested their injuries while playing a wrestling in left field at Minute Maid Park. It was the first time Bieber had thrown a baseball since leaving the mound on June 13 after 5 2/3 innings against Seattle with pain in his right shoulder.

“He hasn’t had any setbacks,” said Ruben Niebla, assistant pitching coach for the Indians. “He has progressed. He won’t feel 100% yet, but it’s expected. We are looking to progress and that is what he is doing.

The Indians put Bieber on the injured list with a strained muscle in his right rotator cuff after he left on June 13. On Monday, he threw pretty hard at a distance of 60 feet to receiver of the bullpen Armando Camacaro.

“He did a lot of work with the weighted ball to release the arm so he could come out and throw with some intensity,” said Niebla.

Civale has been launching for a while. On Monday he moved to about 100 feet, then came back playing wrestling with Niebla. The 10-game winner is on the injured list with a strained right middle finger. This is the last part of Civale’s body that comes in contact with the ball before he lets go.

“I thought Aaron looked good,” said pitching coach Carl Willis. “He continues to progress. He continues to regain his self-confidence.

Willis said Civale threw a piece of duct tape around his right middle finger.

“We’re getting out of this (band),” Willis said. “He had a little less today and he will eventually disappear. “

Civale, whose last start was on June 21 against the Cubs, was deliberate in his throws towards Niebla.

“It’s just a lot of trying to make sure that the action of the arms and everything in between stays consistent,” Willis said. “At first the ball is going to feel a little different, especially with duct tape.”

Willis couldn’t say if Civale’s injury was “100%” healed, but added, “I think it’s about getting the feeling back more than anything now.”

N ° 1: JC Mejia activated

The Indians added class AAA right-hander JC Mejia Columbus and optional right-hander JD Johnson in Columbus to make room on the 26-man roster. Mejia started against the Astros on Monday night.

Mejia (1-4, 7.42) is the first of three starting rookies the Indians will use in this series. His last big-league start was against the Astros on July 1. He allowed six runs on five hits over four innings in a 7-2 loss.

N ° 2: Remember the original Tito

John Patsy ‘Tito’ Francona, father of Indians manager Terry Francona, played with Houston manager Dusty Baker in Atlanta in 1968 and 1969. Francona was nearing the end of his career and Baker, a young black player, was just starting out. hers.

“Dusty made a point of coming to me when I was a young manager and telling me how my dad went out of his way and treated him well,” Francona said. “I mean, Dusty was really young and my dad was really old.

“It’s Atlanta in the 60s. I don’t know how it was. And he insisted on coming over and telling me how my dad went out of his way and tried to make him feel (welcome). And I will never forget it. … It has always stayed with me.

# 3: do you know the goodyear path

The 21 players the Indians drafted during the All-Star break, or at least the majority, are expected to travel to Goodyear, Ariz., In the coming days.

They will receive their medical examinations and will be presented to the organization. Their signatures could be announced by the end of the week.

The Indians selected 19 pitchers in their 21 picks.

N ° 4: Infirmary

Francona said outfielder Eddie Rosario (right slant) was doing “rotation” work in Cleveland. He has been on the injured list since July 6.

“We’ll obviously have our eyes on him when we bring him home on Thursday,” Francona said. “But everyone thinks he’s doing pretty well.”

Jordan Luplow (left ankle) is expected to begin rehab at Columbus on Tuesday. He has been on the injured list since May 27.

N ° 5: Finally

Alex call went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs for Class AAA Columbus on Sunday in a 7-6 loss to St. Paul. Gabriel Arias (0.258) changed to 3 for 5. Right-handed Brad Peacock, trying to get back into the big leagues, threw three scoreless innings with two walks and two hits in loss. … Andruw Monastery rolled in four innings and Richard Palacios went 2-for-3 as Class AA Akron beat Harrisburg, 5-1. Leatherworker Tully put out eight strikes and allowed one earned run in six innings. … mason hickman allowed a earned run in 6 1/3 innings as Class A Lake County beat Lansing, 4-2. José Tena (.294) went 2-by-3. … Josh wolf allowed a earned run and struck out six catches in five innings as Lynchburg, Class A, lost to Fredericksburg, 6-2. Alexfri Planez hit his eighth home run and Korey Holland went 2-for-3 in loss.

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