The Cleveland Indians appear less optimistic regarding outfielder Grady Sizemore's return this season, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
Indians not ruling out a return for Grady Sizemore this year, but not expecting anything, either. Legs haven't responded in rehab.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 14, 2012
This is a slight change in tone, with all prior reports indicating that the veteran centerfielder would return at some point this season. Now, that appears to be up in the air.
Sizemore has been on the 60-day Disabled List since Spring Training, but he's made only gradual progress in rehab as the outfielder's injury bug over the past several seasons continues to bite. He played a full 162 games for Cleveland in 2006 and 2007 and 157 games in 2008 and made the American League All-Star team all three seasons, but he's played only 210 games in the past three-plus seasons.
The Indians signed the outfielder to an incentive-laden one-year deal this offseason in the hopes that he could return healthier and provide even a shell of his former self, but Sizemore has yet to see the field this season.
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