CLEVELAND _ The Indians are looking to use some "common sense" when determining the playing time of two key players in their lineup, both returning from injuries.
Manager Terry Francona is still being cautious with outfielder Michael Brantley coming off a biceps tenodesis procedure that ended his 2016 season. Jason Kipnis returned on Friday from a strained shoulder that put him on the disabled list to begin this season.
Neither has a set schedule to determine which days they'll be in the lineup or how many games in a row they might play. It will essentially remain a day-by-day decision. Kipnis could be on a similar plan to how the Indians handled Brantley earlier this month.
"I don't think there's been anything like concrete (set), kind of like what we did with Brant," Francona said. "I just think it's more maybe common sense than anything else. He feels really good. The idea is to keep him feeling really good while he builds up his endurance to games and things like that. And then once guys get into that feeling, sometimes you think you're doing them a favor by giving them a day off and you're really not."
Brantley played in four consecutive games before the natural day off thanks to inclement weather in Minnesota postponing the game on April 19. He then played in three consecutive games before receiving the day off on Sunday. Kipnis was activated on Friday and started two games before only being called on for pinch-hitting duties on Sunday.
The schedule seems to be working for Brantley, who's off to a strong start to the 2017 season, hitting .310 with a .385 on-base percentage to go with three home runs, three doubles and 11 RBIs. For the most part, Brantley's swing has looked strong for the first time since September of 2015, when he initially injured his shoulder diving for a ball in Minnesota.
"Sometimes you get a guy back in name but not necessarily what they can do," Francona said. "He really doesn't look like he's missed much of a beat at all. I know early on, he was kind of concerned, because he wanted to be able to play enough where he could find his rhythm at the plate. It looks to me like he's doing that."
