Indians' Carlos Carrasco Placed on 10-Day DL Due to Elbow Injury

The Cleveland Indians announced Sunday that they placed starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco on the 10-day disabled list with a right elbow contusion.

Carrasco started the season with eight wins, including two complete games, over his first 14 starts. However, he was forced to leave his start against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday after he was hit in his throwing arm by a comeback liner. 

Otherwise, the 31-year-old has helped form a strong one-two punch alongside Corey Kluber atop the Indians' rotation. 

After winning 18 games and posting a 3.29 ERA last year, however, Carrasco hasn't been quite as effective in 2018.

Thus far, Carrasco is 8-5 with a 4.24 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 96 strikeouts in 91.1 innings. Carrasco has a 3.40 FIP, according to Baseball Reference, however, which suggests he has been somewhat unlucky.

Injuries have been an issue for Carrasco in recent years. Although he remained healthy in 2017, Carrasco missed Cleveland's playoff run to the World Series in 2016.

Despite being just 36-33, the Indians hold a 2.5-game lead over the surprising Detroit Tigers in the poor American League Central.

Losing Carrasco for a significant amount of time could tighten things up even further, though.

With Danny Salazar already out because of rotator cuff inflammation, the Indians will be short-handed until Carrasco is able to return to the mound, and they will have to rely on the likes of Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger and Adam Plutko to support Kluber in the rotation.