CLEVELAND — There haven’t been many positives surrounding the Indians, but one is expected to arrive today with the return of Fausto Carmona.
Carmona, a 19-game winner last year, will leave the disabled list to make his first start since sustaining a strained left hip May 23. It is expected to provide a lift on the field and in the clubhouse.
“It’s good to start seeing (injured players) come back our way. Hopefully it’s the first of the rest of them coming back,” said Indians manager Eric Wedge, whose team still has a number of key players on the injured list, including Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez. “I just think it’s good for the club to see guys on the disabled list head back our way, especially as pivotal as they are.”
Carmona — 4-2 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 starts — sustained the injury May 23, leaving a start against Texas after two innings. He was close to beginning a minor league rehab assignment in mid-June before suffering a setback, then finally completed one with Class A Lake County and Double-A Akron, where the right-hander allowed a run on nine hits in two appearances (nine innings).

Wounded Wahoos

Monday is a big day for the Indians, Hafner and Martinez.
Martinez, who had surgery on his right elbow June 13 and was expected to miss 6-8 weeks, will begin baseball activities, playing catch and swinging the bat.
Hafner, out since May 30 with a right shoulder ailment, is scheduled to undergo another strength test, with the Indians hopeful that he can begin swinging the bat for the first time since the injury.

Central plasterig

The Indians entered their series opener with Minnesota on Friday riding an eight-game losing skid against Central Division teams and already losing as many games (24) to division foes as they did all of last year.
Cleveland, which went 48-24 against the Central last year, was 13-24 through Thursday against Chicago (3-9), Detroit (3-5), Minnesota (3-6) and Kansas City (4-4).

No hard feelings

Wedge said he does not feel burned by the success former ace CC Sabathia has enjoyed since joining the Milwaukee Brewers. Sabathia is 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA in four starts for the Brewers, working complete games in his last three outings.
“Good for him,” Wedge said. “I root for baseball and guys that have been part of the (Indians) family, and CC’s at the top of that list.”

Roundin’ third

The Indians entered Friday with the majors’ best fielding percentage (.988) and fewest errors (45).
• Cleveland had hit home runs in a season-high 10 straight games and 18 of 19 through Thursday.
• Grady Sizemore entered Friday needing one stolen base to join Joe Carter (1986-88) and Bobby Bonds (1979) as the third Cleveland player to hit 25 homers and steal 25 bases in a season. Carter is the only Indian to reach 30 in both statistics, accomplishing as much in 1987.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. 

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