Sizemore likely will miss opener with back injury

Associated Press

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Grady Sizemore’s latest comeback has already stalled. The Indians’ oft-injured, hard-luck outfielder is hurt again.

Sizemore will likely miss opening day for Cleveland with a strained lower back, an injury the former All-Star sustained while fielding ground balls as he prepared for what he hoped would be a healthy season.

“I feel awful for the guy,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said Friday.

The Indians revealed Sizemore’s injury one day before they hold their first full-squad workout. The club re-signed Sizemore as a free agent in November after choosing not to exercise a $9 million option on him. But the Indians, perhaps out of some loyalty to Sizemore, decided to bring him back with a one-year, $5 million contract loaded with incentives that could have earned him an additional $4 million.

Now, there’s no telling when he will be ready. But Antonetti will never count him out.

“One thing about Grady is he is very tough minded,” he said. “He is an exceptionally diligent guy. He will overcome it and I’m confident he’ll be able to get back and still contribute.”

Indians trainer Lonnie Soloff said Sizemore will not do any baseball activities as he’s monitored over the next few weeks and undergoes treatment. Soloff said Sizemore had been doing well in his rehab following knee surgery on Oct. 3 and appeared on track to possibly begin the season on time.

Sizemore, 29, has undergone five surgeries the past two years and played in only 210 games the last three seasons because of injuries. His full-speed-ahead style may have caught up with the former All-Star, who once played in 382 consecutive games and endeared himself to fans with hustle that could save an extra-base hit with a crash into the outfield wall to make a catch.