**CLEVELAND, Ohio** — Guardians manager Stephen Vogt offered updates on several injured players on Monday, starting with All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan, who has been out since Friday with a sore back.
Vogt noted that Kwan is showing progress and will engage in some “rotational exercises” before Monday’s series opener against the Twins at Progressive Field.
“They’re going to work him pretty hard,” Vogt said. “We should have more information tomorrow about his timeline. For now, he remains day to day.”
Kwan was struggling before the injury, hitting just 1 for 31, but had recently improved to .385 with six walks in his last four games.
Starting pitcher Alex Cobb may need a minor league rehab start before returning, as he deals with a blister issue on his middle finger. Cobb, 36, is 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in three starts for Cleveland since being acquired from the Giants. Vogt mentioned that Cobb would first throw a bullpen session and, if all goes well, could head to an affiliate for further testing.
“We want to ensure he can pitch effectively in games before bringing him back to the majors,” Vogt said. “It’s a day-to-day process, but there is a plan in place.”
The situation with Carlos Carrasco, who has been on the injured list since August 8 with a sore hip, remains uncertain. Carrasco threw three innings in a rehab start at Akron on Friday and did a bullpen session on Sunday. He is now waiting to determine his next steps.
Additionally, the Guardians updated the status of their No. 21 prospect, George Valera, who was injured last week in a collision with the outfield wall in Columbus. Valera has been diagnosed with a patellar tendon rupture and will undergo surgery on Wednesday at Cleveland Clinic. The typical recovery time for this injury is 6-9 months.
