MLB injury woes hitting ahead of postseason in Cleveland, elsewhere

The joy of October baseball may be dampened by health concerns in multiple cities during the MLB postseason.

The worst effect in the American League could be seen on the shores of Lake Erie, where Cleveland’s Cinderella season is winding down with the top three members of its stellar rotation all nursing injuries.

Corey Kluber is expected to be out 7-10 days with a quad injury while Carlos Carrasco was already felled with a broken right hand and Danny Salazar has a strained forearm tendon.

While the Indians have clinched the AL Central, the Toronto Blue Jays are five games back in the East and still fighting for one of the Wild Cards.

They apparently will have to do that without reliever Joaquin Benoit, who tore his left calf leaving the bullpen to join a brawl Monday night.

In the National League, Washington is feeling the effects of injury woes offensively and on the mound.

Catcher Wilson Ramos was lost for the season to torn ACL while star outfielder Bryce Harper was already nursing a sore thumb and second baseman Daniel Murphy has missed more than a week with an injury to his butt (yes, you read that correctly).

Ace pitcher Stephen Strasburg may not be available, either, because of a sore elbow.

Harper and Murphy are expected to be ready to go when their NL Division Series starts, but how effective they will be is an open question.

On a more positive note, former Red Shin-Soo Choo could return for the Rangers in time for the postseason. He has been out since Aug. 15 with a fractured left forearm.

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