NEW YORK -- It was easy to think the worst when Indians reliever Nicholas Goody grabbed his right elbow and grimaced in pain following a pitch against the Blue Jays on Thursday. One day later, the team received news that felt like the best-case scenario on the right-hander's arm injury.
Prior to Friday's game against the Yankees, Indians manager Terry Francona indicated that X-rays and an MRI exam on Goody's right elbow showed no structural damage in the joint. Goody, who is on the 10-day disabled list, experienced swelling in the joint and will be shut down from throwing for seven days before being re-evaluated.
"By listening to him, it seemed like he hyperextended it," Francona said. "I think we maybe dodged a bullet there."
Goody, who had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2013 while in the Minor Leagues, sustained the injury on a pitch to Kevin Pillar in the seventh inning of Cleveland's 13-11, 11-inning loss to the Blue Jays in the opener of Thursday's doubleheader. Between games, the Indians placed Goody on the DL and promoted right-hander Evan Marshall from Triple-A Columbus.
Last season, Goody posted a 2.80 ERA with 72 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings out of the Indians' bullpen. This year, the righty has been off to a tough start, turning in a 6.94 ERA with 12 strikeouts against five walks in 11 2/3 innings.
The Tribe's bullpen as a whole has labored of late while relief ace Andrew Miller has been on the DL recovering from a left hamstring issue. In the first nine games with Miller on the shelf, the Indians' relief corps has combined for a 9.20 ERA with a 1.081 opponents' OPS in 29 1/3 innings.
Injury updates
• Miller, who injured his hamstring on April 25 against the Cubs, threw in a long-toss session on Friday at Yankee Stadium. Francona noted that the left-hander was slated to pitch off a mound on Saturday, noting that the team's training staff would like to plan two bullpen sessions prior to potentially activating Miller. That would seem to put Miller on target for activation on Wednesday in Milwaukee at the earliest.
"I don't think he's going to need to go out and throw a Minor League game," Francona said. "We may try to get a hitter or two, maybe, the next time he throws -- something like that. It's all going to be determined by how he's doing. He's not feeling any pain. I think they'd like to see it get a little stronger, so that's where we're at."
• The Indians transferred right-hander Danny Salazar (right shoulder) to the 60-day DL, retroactive to March 29. Salazar remains in Arizona working through a rehab program, but has made little progress in recent weeks. Francona noted that Salazar will have an upcoming consultation with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister to gather more information on his injury.
"We're sending him to see Meister, just to maybe put his mind at ease," Francona said. "I think when he feels something, he's not able to let it go. It's a [doctor] that we really respect. ... The hope is that he gets a clean bill of health."
• Left-hander Ryan Merritt (10-day DL, left knee) began a Minor League rehab assignment with Columbus on Friday. Merritt, who is out of Minor League options, can remain on the assignment for a maximum of 30 days.