Cleveland Indians DH Travis Hafner did not travel with the team for their weekend series with the Chicago White Sox. Right knee soreness following Cleveland's Wednesday win over Detroit in which Hafner homered led to an MRI and cortisone treatment for the big DH on Thursday.
Now the team's medical staff wants to keep Hafner out of the lineup and try to treat the knee soreness and get the DH back in the game without having to resort to surgery. According to this report from Paul Hoynes, Indians head trainer Lonnie Solof has yet to rule out the possibility of surgery if things don't improve.
Asked about the possibility of surgery, Soloff said, "In the event that the medication and rest isn't sufficient, that introduces a different scenario and we'd provide an update on that early next week if it went that route."
Solof went on to say that Hafner was feeling better on Friday. Cleveland will miss the power threat Hafner poses in the lineup but with six home runs this season, the team needs him to healthy first and foremost.
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