Jason Kipnis is going to be out of the Cleveland Indians lineup for the next four to five weeks. What can they do to replace him?
One big part of the Cleveland Indians lineup won’t be there when they begin to defend their American League crown and attempt to finish the job this year after losing the World Series to the Chicago Cubs.
Jason Kipnis has been limited to just two games this spring due to a nagging shoulder injury and that injury isn’t getting any better.
Some Indians injury updates--Jason Kipnis, after second opinion, has shoulder inflammation and is expected to be out about another 4-5 weeks
— Ryan Lewis (@ByRyanLewis) March 19, 2017
Kipnis was a huge cog in the Indians machine last year. In 156 games, Kipnis hit .275 with an .811 OPS, a career high 23 homers and 82 RBI. With Michael Brantley being out most of last season, Kipnis was the only true left-handed pop the Indians had in the lineup other than their switch-hitters.
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He not only impacted the offense, but saved four runs defensively as well. He combined with Francisco Lindor to form one of the best double play combinations in baseball.
Four to five weeks isn’t a big deal, however, Kipnis did miss significant time during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The Indians should be okay without him for that time, but how should they address the problem at hand, and should they explore options to cover themselves just in case?
Here are five of the most likely outcomes they can do in order to protect themselves if Kipnis’ injury is a lingering problem.