It's too soon to say this is bad news, exactly ... But it's not good news for the first-place Cleveland Indians. MLB.com's Jordan Bastian:
Travis Hafner’s Sore Ankle Knocks Him From Lineup
Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner was a late scratch from Thursday's starting lineup due to right ankle inflammation. Hafner will undergo an MRI exam on his foot on Friday.
--snip--
Acta noted that Hafner mentioned feeling soreness in his foot during Wednesday's game, in which the DH went 1-for-4 with an RBI single. On Thursday, Hafner took part in batting practice with no issues, but he still felt discomfort when running.
At least it’s not Hafner’s shoulder, which has cost him so many games over the last few seasons. Still, one can’t help wonder if so many things have gone well for the Indians this spring that something was bound to go wrong. And it’s hard to imagine the Indians maintaining their hold on first place without Hafner’s production.
Shelley Duncan filled in as DH Thursday night, but he's never hit right-handed pitching and isn't a good long-term option if Hafner winds up missing significant time.
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