Martinez’s injury is not serious; he’s day-to-day

He has only a mild strain of his left hamstring sustained in Monday’s opener.

COMBINED DISPATCHES

CLEVELAND — The Indians were perhaps able to breathe a small, quiet sigh of relief Tuesday.

An MRI examination of catcher Victor Martinez’s left hamstring revealed only a mild strain. The club said in a statement that Martinez will remain day-to-day and no roster move to replace him is being considered.

Martinez was injured while trying to advance from first base to second on a pitch in the dirt by Chicago’s Nick Masset during the second inning of Monday’s 10-8 opening day victory over Chicago. It appeared Martinez may have caught a spike in the infield while running. He rolled awkwardly in the dirt, short of second base, and was tagged out to end the inning.

After laying face-down for a few seconds, Martinez was able to get to his feet and walk off the field, accompanied by trainer Lonnie Soloff. Backup catcher Kelly Shoppach played the rest of the game.

Martinez was injured during the home opener last year. He sustained a strained left quadriceps April 6 while trying to beat out a ground ball bobbled by Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre. Martinez did not go on the disabled list and returned to the lineup April 18.

The two-time All-Star was 2-for-2 with an RBI before his injury. Both hits came during the second inning.

The Indians have catching prospect Wyatt Toregas available at Triple-A Buffalo. Two other options at catcher are Yamid Haad, who has 35 games of big-league experience, and Dave Wallace, who briefly substituted for bullpen catcher Danny Williams last year when Williams experienced back problems. Toregas has an advantage because he is already on the 40-man roster.

First baseman Ryan Garko, a former catcher, could act as the emergency catcher until Martinez is able to return to playing every day.

The Indians’ series with Chicago continues tonight at 7:05. Right-hander Fausto Carmona will start for Cleveland against the White Sox’s Javier Vazquez.

Plaque sent to Cleveland

The Indians are bringing back a memento from their 15 years training in Winter Haven, Fla.

As the club departed its spring training facility for the final time last week, city officials gave the Indians a commemorative plaque honoring two pitchers who were killed in a boating accident 15 years ago. The Indians plan to display it inside Heritage Park, a walkthrough monument area beyond the center-field fence at Progressive Park.

Pitchers Tim Crews and Steve Olin died and pitcher Bob Ojeda was seriously injured when the 18-foot bass fishing boat they were riding in slammed into a dock on Little Lake Nellie in Clermont, Fla., on March 22, 1993.

Indians spokesman Bart Swain said Tuesday that the plaque was put in an equipment trailer. After stopping at some of the club’s minor league affiliates along the way, it will be delivered to Cleveland, where the plaque will be refurbished.

The plaque will likely find a new home not far from another one honoring Indians second baseman Ray Chapman, the only player in major league history to be killed in a game. A pitch hit Chapman in the head at the Polo Grounds in New York in 1920.

The Indians played their final spring training in Winter Haven, the club’s offseason home since 1993. Unable to work out a deal with the city for a new facility, they plan to relocate next year to Goodyear, Ariz.