CLEVELAND, Ohio — Unfortunately for the Cleveland Indians, it’s come to this:

The Detroit Tigers’ magic number to top the Indians in the American League Central Division race is down to 16.

The Tigers, following their 4-2 win over the Indians on Monday and going into tonight’s game at Cleveland, are 79-62 with 21 games left on their schedule.

The Indians, 70-68, have 24 games to go. Any combination of 16 Detroit wins and/or Cleveland losses the rest of the way, and the Tigers are assured of finishing ahead of the Indians.

Tonight, right-hander Rick Porcello (12-8, 5.01) starts on the mound for Detroit while the Indians counter with righty Fausto Carmona (6-13, 4.84).

Joey Nowak writes about tonight’s Indians-Tigers game for MLB.com: 

With a 4-2 loss to the Tigers on Monday at Progressive Field, the Tribe fell to 7 1/2 games behind Detroit in the American League Central. The two teams have five more meetings this year — including Tuesday night’s matchup — and the Indians certainly want their postseason fate to rest in their hands.

The first-place Tigers have won 13 of their last 17 games, boosting their lead over the Indians and White Sox in the division.

The Indians, who led the Central by as many as seven games in late May, have already eclipsed their win total from last season (69). Cleveland won its 70th game on Sunday. Still, manager Manny Acta said, it’s not enough to come away satisfied.

“That wasn’t the goal,” Acta said. “The goal is to win the division, so we’re not done yet.”

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage includes news that second baseman Jason Kipnis will be in tonight’s starting lineup for the Indians, who also have infielder Luis Valbuena back; Paul Hoynes’ game story on the Indians’ 4-2 loss to the Tigers on Monday; Hoynes’ Indians Insider; Dennis Manoloff’s interview on Starting Blocks TV, saying the Indians are down but not out of the division race; Manoloff’s story on Detroit’s winning pitcher on Monday, Doug Fister; Terry Pluto’s podcast.

Rounding the bases

Monday’s Tigers-Indians game story, by Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal. 

ESPN.com’s power rankings going into Monday’s games.

Brian Dulik writes about Indians starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette.

Indians roster moves, by Zack Meisel on MLB.com.

What kept the Indians within some range of the Tigers in the AL Central, by John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press.

On Indians Prospect Insider, the playoff schedules for the Indians’ Class AAA Columbus Clippers and Advanced Class A Kinston Indians.

Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco will have Tommy John elbow surgery, meaning he may not pitch in 2012. By Tony Lastoria of Indians Prospect Insider.

It’s not looking good for the Indians, Jim Ingraham writes for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal in his Monday Tigers-Indians game story.

A review of the 2011 season for the Akron Aeros, the Indians’ Class AA team. On IndiansProspectInsider.com.

Some major league divisional races are all but over, Tracy Ringolsby writes for FoxSports.com.

When: Monday through Wednesday.

Where: Progressive Field.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; ESPN2 on Monday; WTAM AM/1100.

Series: Indians lead, 3-0, this season. They lead, 1,018-954, all-time.

Pitching matchups: RHP Justin Masterson (5-2, 2.52 ERA) vs. RHP Clay Buchholz (4-3, 3.42), Monday at 7:10; RHP Fausto Carmona (3-4, 4.76) vs. RHP Josh Beckett (3-1, 1.73), Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.; RHP Mitch Talbot (1-0, 1.46) vs. LHP Jon Lester (6-1, 3.68), Wednesday at 12:05 p.m.

Indians update: They are coming off three-game sweep of Cincinnati at Progressive Field. … Indians swept Red Sox at Progressive Field, April 5-7. They outscored Boston, 12-5. Reliever Rafael Perez earned two of the victories. … Talbot, on the disabled list since April 17 because of an elbow strain, is expected to be activated in time for the Wednesday start. He made his final minor-league rehab start last Thursday.

Red Sox update: The sweep in Cleveland dropped them to 0-6; they have been on a steady climb since. 1B Adrian Gonzalez (.328, 9 HR, 41 RBI entering Sunday) is an RBI machine.

Injuries: Indians – DH Travis Hafner (right oblique), OF Trevor Crowe (right shoulder), OF Grady Sizemore (right knee), RHP Alex White (middle finger), RHP Mitch Talbot (elbow) and INF Jared Goedert (abdomen) are on disabled list. Red Sox – RHP Junichi Tazawa (elbow), LHP Felix Doubront (forearm), RHP Matt Albers (right lat), RHP Bobby Jenks (right biceps), RHP Dan Wheeler (left calf), SS Marco Scutaro (left oblique), RHP John Lackey (elbow) and RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (elbow) are on the DL.

Next for Indians: Six-game trip begins in Tampa Bay on Friday.

Published: Monday, March 21, 2011, 10:44 PM     Updated: Monday, March 21, 2011, 10:53 PM

Surprise, Ariz. — The Indians starting rotation is all but set. Manager Manny Acta just has to make it official.

“We’re close,” said Acta.

Acta said he should reveal the rotation by the end of the week after the fifth and final starter is named. Josh Tomlin, rained out of Monday’s start against the Royals, has that job all but won.

When Acta names the fifth starter, he will also name the order of the rotation.

Fausto Carmona, Justin Masterson, Carlos Carrasco and Mitch Talbot own four of the five spots. Carmona is the only one who knows when he will pitch — April 1 against the White Sox in the season opener.

The rest of the puzzle is almost complete.

“I’ll give you the order when I name the last guy,” Acta told reporters.

If Tomlin is the choice, it would give the Indians five right- handers. It’s one thing if you have a couple of left- handers in the rotation to change its look. But how do you separate five right-handers?

“You do it based on their pitches and effectiveness,” said Acta.

No rest for the weary: After Monday’s rainout against Kansas City, Tomlin, Chad Durbin and Justin Germano will pitch in a minor-league game today at the Indians’ player development complex.

So far, so good: Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who left Sunday’s game in the first inning with a cramp in his right leg, said he was fine Monday morning.

“I’ll go through a full workout today and should play in the game on Tuesday,” said Cabrera.

Cabrera felt a tightness behind his right knee when he was beating out an infield hit against Arizona. He was checked at first base by Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff and stayed in the game. He went to second on a walk and third on a wild pitch.

When he reached third, the Indians removed him for pinch-runner Luis Valbuena.

“I felt fine sprinting to third,” said Cabrera. “It was their decision to take me out.”

Acta said there was no reason to take a chance with Cabrera. Especially with infielder Adam Everett going down with a sprained left thumb on Saturday.

Cabrera is hitting .424 (14-for-33) with three doubles, two homers and five RBI.

Testing, testing: Infielder Everett had X-rays and an MRI Monday on his sprained left thumb. Everett injured the thumb attempting to steal second base Saturday against the Angels. He was blocked off the base by shortstop Erick Aybar and hit his thumb on Aybar’s leg.

Depending on what the test reveals, Everett could work out today.

Lefty overload: With the Indians’ lineup overloaded with left-handed hitters, Acta was asked if it was important to carry a right-handed hitter off the bench.

“If you get offered nine Joe Mauers, would you throw seven back because you want seven right-handers in there, or would you take the nine Joe Mauers?” said Acta. “We don’t care from what side they hit, as long as they hit.

“We’re not going to platoon Grady Sizemore (a left-handed hitter) because we have Shin-Soo Choo (lefty) and Travis Hafner (lefty). . . . The majority of pitchers are right-handers.”

Bad break: Rob Bryson, one of the four players the Indians received from Milwaukee in the CC Sabathia trade in 2008, broke his right foot running in the outfield last week. He will reportedly be out until the All-Star break.

Outfield prospect Nick Weglarz will fly to Cleveland later this week. He tore the meniscus in his left knee and could have surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. He could miss six to eight weeks.

Finally: Anthony Reyes will get at least one more Cactus League appearance before the end of camp. Reyes, whose sore right elbow took him out of the running for the fifth starter’s job, has made just one appearance this spring. “There are other guys we need to get stretched out,” said Acta.

Published: Monday, March 14, 2011, 5:02 PM     Updated: Monday, March 14, 2011, 5:06 PM

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Indians scored three runs in the third inning Monday to take a 5-3 lead over the A’s at Goodyear Ballpark.

Oakland scored three runs in the top of the third off Justin Masterson to take a 3-2 lead before the Indians rallied. Travis Hafner tied the score with a double and Shelley Duncan hit a two-run double past third for the lead.

Masterson retired six straight to start the game. Masterson’s quick start gave him 15 straight outs going back to his last start. The streak ended when Matt Carson beat out an infield single to start the third. Jemile Weeks singled and the runners advanced on a wild pitch. Eric Sogard struck out, but Coco Crisp tripled into the right field corner to tie the score, 2-2.

Kevin Kouzmanoff lined a single past third baseman Jack Hannahan to score Crisp for the lead.

Hannahan doubled home two runs in the second for a 2-0 lead off Dallas Braden. Austin Kearns started the third by getting hit by a pitch. Travis Hafner singled and Shelley Duncan drew a one-out walk to load the bases and bring Hannahan to the plate.

 

Published: Monday, March 07, 2011, 3:40 PM     Updated: Monday, March 07, 2011, 3:54 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. –  The Indians chased White Sox starter Lucas Harrell with six runs and eight hits in the first two innings on a wind-blown afternoon at The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch.

Matt LaPorta brought one run home on a double play grounder in the first, then singled in center fielder Ezequiel Carrera in the second.

Anything hit in the air to left field had a chance to leave the park. Nick Weglarz and Luis Valbuena proved it with a pair of two-run homers.

The White Sox answered with two runs in the home half of the first off Indians’ starter Mitch Talbot. Not surprisingly, they scored on a homer — to left — off the bat of center fielder Alex Rios.

Published: Monday, February 28, 2011, 11:51 AM     Updated: Monday, February 28, 2011, 4:46 PM

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Anthony Reyes, who missed the 2010 season rehabbing from reconstructive surgery, will rest his arm for a few days after experiencing soreness in his elbow.

“We just want to be on the safe side,” the 29-year-old Reyes said Monday before the Indians played the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark. “They said flareups are going to happen.”

Reyes was examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Arizona.

“The ligament is still good,” Reyes said.

Reyes, who opened camp as a candidate for the No. 5 spot, had reconstructive elbow surgery in June of 2009. He rehabbed in Goodyear all last spring and part of the summer before making two starts for the Arizona Rookie League Indians in July.

He then had two rough starts for Class AA Akron before being shut down for 10 days with soreness in his back. After a final poor start on Aug. 11, Reyes’ season was over.