Good news, Kluber is cleared to play catch

BALTIMORE -- After nearly two months of having to avoid picking up a baseball, Corey Kluber has been cleared to begin playing catch.

Indians manager Terry Francona said Kluber was cleared to start throwing up to 60 feet at his doctor’s appointment on Thursday. The righty has been on the injured list since he left his May 1 start in Miami after getting hit on the right forearm by a line drive, fracturing his ulna bone.

“He had a really good day,” Francona said. “I actually ran into him at the ballpark after he had played catch. … He seemed pretty excited to get going. He’s basically got to start over again, his throwing program, but the fact that he’s throwing, the fact that [the bone is] healing so well, it was really good news.”

Does “starting over” mean going back to the first day of Spring Training? Not according to Francona. Kluber will need to go back even further than what it’s like to start Spring Training. Francona explained that it’ll be like the first day of a throwing program after taking a rest at the end of a season.

The Indians haven’t specified an exact timeline for Kluber’s return. It will likely depend on how the first few weeks of playing catch progress for the 33-year-old righty.

Plutko to the bullpen

The Indians activated Mike Clevinger off the injured list (left ankle sprain) prior to Friday’s 13-0 loss to the Orioles, in which he allowed seven runs and walked three in just 1 2/3 innings. With two more days off scheduled in the final 10 days before the All-Star break, the Tribe will shift Adam Plutko to the bullpen and keep Clevinger, Zach Plesac, Shane Bieber and Trevor Bauer as the four-man rotation.

“So even with four, they get an extra day,” Francona said. “Coming out of the break, we don’t know yet. We need to walk through that and see a lot of things.”

Plutko pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief on Friday following Clevinger's early exit, allowing five runs with one walk and one strikeout.

Santana earns first All-Star selection

The Indians were on their flight to Baltimore when Carlos Santana learned he was going to his first All-Star Game. The team was watching a live stream of ESPN’s announcement but just before they got to the American League first basemen, the internet cut out. It was Roberto Perez who broke the news to Santana, as the first-time All-Star failed to hold back tears.

“I was so [incredibly] happy for him,” Francona said. “…Of all the times, it’s in Cleveland. And I know we’re not really supposed to pull for other teams, but the fact that [Michael] Brantley made it, I can’t help it. I love the guy.”

This date in Indians history

1997: Matt Williams went 4-for-5 with a pair of homers and six RBIs in a 12-8 victory over the Yankees at Jacobs Field.