Update: Michael Brantley Scratched From Lineup

Heading To Cleveland Clinic To Be Evaluated

According to Zack Meisel (Twitter) the Cleveland Indians have taken Michael Brantley out of tonight’s lineup and he will be evaluated at the Cleveland Clinic. New Lineup:

Original Lineup: Michael Bourn (CF), Asdrubal Cabrera (SS), Michael Brantley (LF), Jason Kipnis (2b), Carlos Santana (1b), Lonnie Chisenhall (3b), Nick Swisher (DH), David Murphy (RF), Yan Gomes (C)

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The Indians would have been happy to have him back. After all he is coming off being named player of the week for June 9 through 15th after hitting in all seven games posting a .538 average (14 for 26) with three doubles, two home runs, three runs driven in, and scoring nine runs.

On top of that he entered last nights game on a streak of five straight multi-hit games which set a personal career high for him. Entering last nights game he led all American League outfielders in average (.323) and RBI (45), second in extra-base hits (29), and third in on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS [.913]).

In the bottom of the third inning he singled to drive in Michael Bourn to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Jason Kipnis followed with a groundball to second baseman Howie Kendrick who threw to shortstop John McDonald whose knee hit Brantley on the side of the head on his way to completing the inning ending double play.

He took his position in left field in the top of the fourth inning but was removed from the game for precautionary reasons to open the top of the fifth being replaced in left field by Mike Aviles. Many Indians fans were surprised when he left the game and even his teammate David Murphy was taken aback saying, “I was really surprised by it. He came out and I was like, ‘Huh?'”

It’s always a better lineup when Dr. Smooth is playing rather than seeing real doctors. Let’s hope that he checks out and is only out a day or two before returning.