Brantley Activated from 10-Day DL, Extended Spring Rehab Details (March 28 - April 6)

who's ready for the Indians' Home Opener? Dr. Smooth is!👋 today, on April 6, the Cleveland Indians activated Michael Brantley from the 10-Day DL prior to the game versus the Kansas City Royals! Tyler Naquin was optioned to the Triple A Columbus Clippers in a corresponding roster move. Michael is in the starting lineup, despite the cold, wintry mix of weather conditions expected this afternoon, batting 5th and playing in left field.

after staying back in Arizona to play in extended spring training with minor leaguers and the rookie league kids in order to continue building up endurance, Michael is now set to begin his 2018 campaign with the Tribe! or, more specifically, his last campaign with the Tribe.😞 yes, that is correct. this is most likely going to be the final year that Indians fans have to witness the amazingness that is Michael while he's still a member of the Indians. following this brief delay to the start of his regular season, it is now officially the beginning of the end of an era--the Michael Brantley Era in Cleveland. trust and believe, the tears will be flowing hard from me; i just hope i can hold out until October.😭 but i digress.

over the past 11 months, Michael has endured quite a bit in regard to his ankle. the initial onset of pain occurred

Brantley Activated from 10-Day DL, Ankle Updates (August 10 - September 30)

let's try this again, shall we? today, on September 30, the Cleveland Indians activated Michael Brantley from the 10-Day DL.😃👏👊 he spent 52 total days on the disabled list, missing 50 ballgames altogether. Michael is not in the starting lineup tonight versus the Chicago White Sox, but may come off the bench to pinch hit.👌


Michael sustained yet another right ankle sprain this season on August 8 during the game versus the Colorado Rockies. he was running over to center field to back up a play in the top of the 5th inning, when he suddenly started hopping and then just sat down on the grass until the trainer met him in the outfield. shortly after, Michael came out of the game, walking off the field under his own power, but he needed help going down the dugout steps that lead into the clubhouse. an MRI revealed that his sprain was considered mild and the Indians placed him on the 10-Day DL on August 9. seeing that it took so long for his return, this sprain was clearly more severe than the initial "mild" diagnosis, which was not completely accurate (as you'll learn when you scroll down into the September Updates section of this blog).

this was Michael's second stint on the DL this year because of that ankle, and the third occasion that he's had to miss playing time in 2017. he first sprained his right ankle on May 7, but

Brantley Activated from 10-Day DL (w/ Right Ankle Updates)

today, on June 26, the Cleveland Indians activated Michael Brantley from the 10-Day DL. Brandon Guyer, who's been on the 10-Day DL since May 14 with a left wrist sprain, was activated as well. in order to clear spaces on the roster for both outfielders, Daniel Robertson and Shawn Armstrong were optioned to the Triple A Columbus Clippers.

Michael has been away from the club since June 15, when his wife gave birth to their newest baby, a boy named Maxwell. he was placed on the Paternity List on June 16 and was supposed to return to the team on June 19.

well, Michael did return on June 19, in a sense. he met up with the Tribe in Baltimore, but was placed on the 10-Day DL with a right ankle sprain (backdated to June 16), which stemmed from an injury he sustained in Kansas City while playing the Royals. however, it's not completely clear if his ankle never stopped barking after the initial sprain on May 7, or if he re-injured the ankle during the early June Kansas City series. if you read my aforementioned DL blog, then you understand the confusion. not only that, but on June 23, there was some conflicting information as to