Michael Brantley Injury: Updates on Indians OF's Back and Return

Back stiffness forced Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley out of the lineup on April 8 against the Astros. He returned to the lineup on April 10 vs. the Tigers. 

Continue for updates.

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Brantley in Lineup vs. Tigers

Friday, April 10

The Indians announced their lineup for Friday's game, noting that Brantley was back in left field.

Brantley doesn’t get the national recognition of other superstars, but he is one of the better players in the league. He hit .327 last season with 20 home runs, 97 RBI and 23 stolen bases, and he is a multitool player who can impact the game in a number of ways.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports pointed out that the underrated acquisition of Brantley was critical in Cleveland’s turnaround into a potential contender this season:

Neither has the power or speed that Brantley does, which would be a problem if this was a long-term concern, but both are solid enough hitters to cover for a couple of days. Aviles, in particular, is a versatile player who can fill in at a number of different positions, including left field for Brantley, and should be able to spray some line drives to different parts of the field.

The Indians have postseason aspirations in 2015, and Brantley’s bat in the middle of the order is a big reason why.