A.M. Wahoo’s: Indians Head Home to Take on Tigers

Taking a look at the news surrounding the Cleveland Indians and the rest of the MLB on the morning of September 16, 2016.

The Cleveland Indians had a rough four days in Chicago. Dropping three of four to the White Sox was not ideal, but the Indians still hold a six-game lead over the Detroit Tigers as the two teams prepare for a three-game series starting tonight.

The good news from the Chicago series was the solid start by Josh Tomlin, who made his return to the rotation following the injury suffered by Danny Salazar. He picked up the pitching staff’s only win in the series, his first win since July 30.

The Indians must now leave that series behind and focus on the weekend series against the Tigers. With only 16 games remaining, a sweep of the Tigers would be a major step toward clinching the AL Central title. A sweep by the Tigers and the pressure is back on during the last 13 games.

Progressive Field has been a source of great excitement for the Indians all season, so hopefully that continues tonight and throughout the weekend. Before this critical series begins, let’s take a look at the news surrounding the Indians and the rest of the MLB in today’s edition of A.M. Wahoo’s.

Cleveland Indians News:

The Aftermath: Three Takeaways from the Indians’ 2-1 Loss to Chicago

"The Chicago White Sox walked off a 2-1 win against the Cleveland Indians on Thursday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field. In a game in which they had plenty of opportunities, the Tribe couldn’t take advantage, and dropped their third game in the series, concluding their roadtrip at 3-4."

What You Need to Know About the Tribe’s 2017 Schedule

"After Wednesday night’s 6-1 win over the Chicago White Sox, the Cleveland Indians are 84-61, hold a six-game lead in the American League Central Division, and have a magic number of just 12. Cleveland controls its own postseason destiny, and is aiming for its first divisional championship since 2007."

AL Cy Young Race: Who is Corey Kluber’s Competition to Take Home the Award?

"With fewer than 20 games remaining in the regular season, the American League Cy Young award race is still wide open. There is a crowded field of deserving candidates, yet seemingly no one has really pushed to the front of the pack."

Indians Still Haven’t Lost Four Games in a Row This Season (Let’s Go Tribe)

"If you have been watching the Cleveland Indians this season, there may have been streaks that made you upset, or even angry. Fan is the root word of fanatic, we get it, it’s okay to be an irrational fan. However, even the most fair-weather of fans, the kind of fans who only get angry when the Indians lose and are nothing but smiles when they win, have not had many long stretches of being upset this season."

Cleveland Indians Deserve Attention This Weekend (cleveland.com)

"You can hear it in the voice of Chris Antonetti. There’s excitement. There’s caution. There’s apprehension. “It’s all there,” said Antonetti, the Cleveland Indians president. “It’s what you want to feel this time of year, the most exciting time of year.”"

MLB News:

Marco Estrada pitching through herniated disk in back (FanSided)

"Over his last seven starts, Marco Estrada of the Toronto Blue Jays has posted a 1-5 record with a 6.95 ERA across 33.2 innings. He has given up 43 hits while walking 16. In his most recent start against the Tampa Bay Rays, Estrada was tagged for four runs in 5.1 innings while also walking two."

Padres Could Be Disciplined For Hiding Medical Info (Call to the Pen)

"When making trades in MLB, it’s standard practice for teams to disclose full medical information about every player involved. If teams didn’t, they’d earn a bad reputation around the league – and in the trade market, a bad reputation can be costly."

Detroit Tigers Will Make the Playoffs (Motor City Bengals)

"Yes, I do know the team. I’ve watched all of the games from the green seats at Comerica Park and from the comfort of my couch. I’ve seen what the Detroit Tigers can do and I’ve seen what they can do for other teams."