Indians trainer Lonnie Soloff gave an update on Travis Hafner’s status, revealing that the designated hitter is wearing a walking boot and may need season-ending foot surgery.
Hafner was placed on the disabled list yesterday with a sprained right foot, leading to speculate that the Indians will try to claim Jim Thome off waivers from the Twins to temporarily replace him at DH.
Now it turns out the replacement might not be so temporary, although several teams in front of the Indians on the waiver-wire line could make a play for Thome and force them to consider alternatives.
Hafner has hit .281 with 11 homers and an .812 OPS, but this will be the fourth consecutive season in which he fails to play 120 games and he’s batted just .220 with a .642 OPS since the All-Star break.
Injuries have turned Hafner from a middle-of-the-order, MVP-caliber monster to an oft-injured, reasonably productive DH, but because the Indians locked him up long term before the health problems started he’s still owed $13 million in 2012 with a $13 million option or $2.75 million buyout for 2013.