Just a bruise for Carrasco

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

The Indians caught a lucky break. Carlos Carrasco is only bruised.

An MRI taken Monday revealed that Cleveland’s steady starter only suffered a bruised right elbow when he was struck by a vicious line drive on Saturday against Minnesota.

“We dodged a huge bullet,” said relieved Indians manager Terry Francona.

Carrasco, who has previously sustained serious injuries after being hit by comebackers, will be treated for swelling over the next 48 hours before being evaluated on Wednesday.

At this point, it’s expected Carrasco will return to the rotation and mound once his stint on the DL ends.

“He still got hit really hard and there’s some trauma,” Francona said before the Indians opened a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox. “The hope would be, once he gets the swelling out of there, that he’ll come quick because it’s a bruise and it could have been a lot worse.”

In the second inning on Saturday, Twins star Joe Mauer hit a line drive that Carrasco couldn’t avoid. The 31-year-old, who has been one of the AL’s most consistent pitchers the past three seasons, braced himself before absorbing the liner. He was forced to leave the game.