Carrasco rejoins Indians, will be activated off IL on Sunday

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Cleveland Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco rejoined the team Friday after a minor league rehab stint and will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list Sunday.

The 32-year-old Carrasco hasn’t pitched in the majors since late May when he was diagnosed with leukemia.

“It’s a feel-good story already, before he even pitches just because he looks healthy and he’s smiling,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “I was just happy to see him today. He came in, got a bounce in his step. The fact that he might help us win some baseball games, to me, is second, a far distant second.”

Carrasco made four rehab appearances with Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, permitting one run while striking out eight in five innings.

“I think given the right amount of innings, things like that, he can really help us win,” Francona said.

Cleveland entered Friday night’s game at Tampa Bay holding a 1½-game advantage over Oakland for the first AL wild card. The Indians were 3 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Minnesota.

Also, two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, who hasn’t pitched since May 1, will resume non-throwing activities early next week.

Kluber, out since May 1 with a broken right forearm, left a start with Triple-A Columbus Aug 18 due to an abdominal strain.

Francona said the team “got a real good report” after Kluber was re-examined.