Encarnacion likely to return on Thursday

BOSTON -- Edwin Encarnación could make his return to the cleanup spot in the Indians' lineup before the team departs Fenway Park later this week.
Prior to Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, Tribe manager Terry Francona indicated that Encarnacion might be activated from the 10-day disabled list as early as Thursday. Encarnacion has resumed taking regular batting practice, and the feedback from both the veteran designated hitter and Cleveland's medical staff has been that he is recovering well from his right hand injury.
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"He's doing good," Francona said. "Thursday seems like a real possibility. We'll just take it day by day. He's doing so good that we just want to do the right thing."
Encarnacion initially injured his right hand on July 15, when he was hit by a pitch from Yankees reliever Chad Green in the eighth inning of a game in Cleveland. The designated hitter rested over the All-Star break and was not placed on the DL. Then, during a game against the White Sox on Aug. 10, Encarnacion felt discomfort in his right biceps on a swing and was placed on the DL the following day.
Through 104 games this season, Encarnacion has hit .229 with 25 home runs and 81 RBIs. In nine August games, the right-handed slugger went just 4-for-27 (.148) at the plate, leading up to being shelved with the hand and biceps problems.
Francona has been pleased with what he has seen within Encarnacion's batting practice sessions at Fenway Park over the past two days.
"Everything's going good," Francona said. "The bicep, he doesn't feel. And the hand gets better every day. When you watch him hit, he looks like Edwin, which is good."
Quotable
"I don't know that we knew that he was going to be this good. I wish I could say that, but no. He kind of looked like he owned the field when he first came up. He was fearless -- almost to the point where he thought he was invisible. Remember that? His first time he stole, he was leading off and he was like 20 feet off the bag. Get back!" --Francona, on José Ramírez
Worth noting
• Right-hander Nick Goody, who has been on the DL since May 4 due to a right elbow injury, experienced a setback in his throwing program, said Francona. Goody was closing in on a live BP session, but he had discomfort flare up in his throwing arm. The reliever is scheduled to meet with Dr. Keith Meister on Thursday with specialist Dr. James Andrews consulting.
"We'll have more news on him in a couple days," Francona said. "Hopefully it's not something that big, but you start to worry."
• Righty Cody Anderson (60-day DL, right elbow) could be close to being ready for game activity by the end of the month. Cleveland is currently sorting out how to make that happen, given that the end of the Minor League season is looming.
"Bringing him here, that would make you a little nervous, [having] a guy coming and pitching in a Major League environment," Francona said. "So we're going to have to figure something out."
• Francona noted that outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall (60-day DL, left calf strain) is "probably not as close as we had hoped" to a return to game activity. Chisenhall is currently rehabbing at the team's complex in Arizona, continuing to gradually work through a running progression.