Transactions: Doubleheader Doings

Placed RHP Kerry Wood on the 15-Day Disabled List (blister) Retroactive to 7-12-2010

Recalled RHP Jensen Lewis from Columbus (AAA)

It's now even more likely that the Indians won't be able to trade Kerry Wood before the July deadline. Even with the stint retroactive to the 12th, he won't be able to come off the DL until the 27th, much too late to tempt a team into trading for him. They'll still have to chance to deal before the waiver deadline in August, as no team is going to want to block him from passing through waivers knowing that the Indians would just let him go if he was claimed.

Jensen Lewis has been pitching well enough to stick with the major-league team, but because he has an option year left, he's been the convenient choice to send down if the Indians needed an extra roster spot. His fastball is back in the low-90s, fast enough to make his offspeed pitches effective. He came in handy in Game 2 of yesterday's doubleheader, when he shut the Tigers down for two innings with the score tied 1-1.

Recalled RHP Jeanmar Gomez from Columbus (AAA) - MLB Debut

Designated IF Anderson Hernandez for Assignment

If Hernandez clears waivers, he'll accept the outright assignment to Columbus, and will probably return sometime this season. The Indians will be recalling an infielder to take Hernandez's place on the roster; Luis Valbuena makes the most sense from a roster standpoint, especially considering Asdrubal Cabrera may be off the DL in a week or less.

Gomez was brought for just one start, and no matter how well his debut went, the Indians weren't going to keep him on the roster. For now. Carlos Carrasco has dibs on the first rotation spot, but I think Gomez leapfrogged David Huff for the second one thanks to his outstanding debut.

UPDATE:

Recalled RHP Jess Todd from Columbus (AAA)

Optioned RHP Jeanmar Gomez to Columbus (AAA)

It's easy-come-easy-go for Gomez, who reportedly had his plane ticket (to rejoin the Clippers in Durham) in hand before even taking the mound for his big-league debut. Acta joked before the game that it was definitely a one-day promotion unless Gomez pitched a perfect game — but hey, stranger things have happened, and no question he did pitch a gem. He likely will start next Friday's home game against Pawtucket. Gomez was added to the 40-man roster last November and optioned to Columbus at the end of March, so this move does not use up an option year for him.

At least for the short-term, the Indians will go for an inflated bullpen, as Jess Todd gets the call to make his 2010 debut for the Indians this week. Acquired along with Chris Perez as the PTBNL in the DeRosa deal, Todd looked eminently hittable in big-league action last season for the Indians. He did little to impress in spring training and struggled with command out of the gate for Columbus this season, walking seven batters over his last six innings in April.

Todd seemed to right himself in May, however, and he's more or less dominated over the past five weeks, racking up 18 strikeouts and only one walk — one! — in 11 appearances.  He hasn't given up too many hits in that span — nine in 10.2 IP — but if there's a downside in these numbers, it's that five of those nine hits went for extra bases — four doubles and a homer.  So his ISO-against is kind of crappy, but other than that, he's been looking great.

Todd's promotion leaves the Indians flush with eight relievers, but a little shorthanded with no middle infielders on the bench. Obviously Peralta can shift to shortstop in a pinch, and one wonders if they'll just keep an extra pitcher around for the three-game Twins series, waiting until Asdrubal's expected return on Friday to send a reliever down.  If the relievers aren't tested tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised to see Valbuena spend a couple of days back on the big-league roster, purely to give them a normal degree of depth. [Jay]