CLEVELAND — Anthony Reyes has made a slight case for a job with an impressive performance in the Indians’ rotation since joining the team in a trade with St. Louis.
That will have to be good enough.
Reyes, who went 2-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six starts for Cleveland, was shut down Tuesday with nagging right elbow inflammation. The Indians aren’t overly concerned by the injury, but don’t see a point in taking a risk this late in the season with a pitcher that has already battled elbow problems this year.
“There’s no use pushing it,” said manager Eric Wedge. “This guy has done a fantastic job for us in the time that he’s been here. He’s shown us what we needed to see. Now we just want to ensure that he’s healthy when he comes to camp (next year).”
The Indians had yet to receive results from an MRI performed on Reyes’ elbow, but are confident that with offseason rest, the right-hander will be able to challenge for one of three spots in the rotation next spring — Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona hold down the other two.
Jake Westbrook isn’t expected to return from Tommy John surgery until midseason, which means Reyes, Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, Zach Jackson and Scott Lewis figure to be vying for the openings on the starting staff.
Wedge said Lewis, who has replaced Reyes to make two brilliant starts (2-0, no runs on six hits through 14 innings), would continue to fill his spot in the rotation.

Swan song

Tonight will be the last opportunity for Indians fans to watch Lee live, when the Cy Young candidate makes his final home start in the series finale against Minnesota.
After that, Lee, who is bidding to become the second straight Cy Young winner from Cleveland, will have two starts remaining — Tuesday at Boston and in the regular-season finale on Sept. 28 at Chicago.

Still searching

Wedge failed to offer Jensen Lewis a vote of confidence during his pregame media session Tuesday, saying that finding a closer was still the top priority for his team this offseason.
Lewis — 0-4 with a 4.17 ERA in 45 appearances through Monday — had yet to blow a save since assuming the role in early August, converting all nine of his chances.

Another Lee

The Indians signed Taiwanese RHP Chen-Chang Lee, a member of the Chinese Taipei national team, to a free-agent minor league contract Tuesday.
Lee, who turns 22 on Oct. 21, pitched in the Beijing Olympics, recording a 2.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts in two appearances (nine innings), which included a start against Cuba — one earned run on three hits in 62/3 innings.
Lee has pitched in the United States before, spending the summer of 2007 with the Anchorage Bucs.
“Chen-Chang Lee has had a great deal of experience and success pitching at the highest level of international competition,” said assistant general manager (scouting operations) John Mirabelli. “That experience and success make him a very attractive prospect for us and we feel he has a great deal of upside.”
Lee will report to the Fall Instructional League, which opens today at the Indians’ new spring training site in Goodyear, Ariz.

Roundin’ third

Wedge, who is in his sixth season as manager, entered Tuesday two wins shy of tying Roger Peckinpaugh (1928-33, 1941) for fifth on the team’s all-time list with 490.
• The Indians entered Tuesday having been hit by pitches a franchise-record 92 times, which is also the AL record. The big league record is 100, set in 1997 by the Astros.
• Cleveland entered Tuesday with an all-time 72-44 record at Jacobs/Progressive Field.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

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