Indians Hopeful to Have Catcher Roberto Perez Back Tuesday

Tribe starting catcher Roberto Perez has been on the team's injured list since July 29th with a shoulder injury. In his place the team has had to suffer with backup Sandy Leon as well as Beau Taylor trying to fill the void, but both are not exactly making anyone forget about Perez. Leon is hitting just .081 and Taylor has yet to record a hit. The Indians said on Saturday that they are hopeful that Perez will be back Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

The catcher position for the Indians has been a trouble spot since starter Roberto Perez was placed on the inured list July 29th with a shoulder injury.

The team has tried to fill the void with backup Sandy Leon as well as Beau Taylor, but both have not exactly been making the most of their opportunities.

Leon has appeared in 13 games, and in 37 plate appearances has just three hits, for an .081 average.

He has walked seven times and has struck out 10 times in the games he's appeared in.

Taylor has actually been worse, as in five games he's been to the plate 16 times, and has yet to record a hit.

He's walked once and struck out seven times.

While the Indians put an emphasis on defense at the catcher spot, both Leon and Taylor have also had some struggles there, with both being hit at least once with a call of "catcher's interference."

So it's no surprise that the Indians are anxious to get Perez back, and it sounds like that is close to happening.

Manager Terry Francona said Saturday in Detroit that Perez is getting stronger, and that he's expected to be ready to go Tuesday in Pittsburgh when the Indians take on the Pirates.

Perez hurt his shoulder in the season opening win against the Kansas City Royals.

He was making an off-balance throw when he scrambled to retrieve a third strike that got past him. He slipped and fell while firing the ball to first, but was able to get the out.

Since that time though he wasn't the same, with the shoulder ailing he hit just .100 in three games, going 1-for-10 with a walk and six strikeouts.

A week ago team president Chris Antonetti said that the catcher was feeling better and getting closer to returning.

“He's actually going to go through some plyo activities and may actually throw today, depending on how he feels," Antonetti said on August 4th. 

"He's actually working out right now at Lake County. But he continues to feel better each day.”

Sandy Alomar Jr., who works with the team's catchers and was the club's acting manager when Francona was sidelined, said that he was confident the injury to Perez was not going to be a long term issue.

“I assume he’s going to continue to work out and stay in great shape. He works very hard," Alomar said last week.

With Perez returning, the team likely will send Taylor back to Eastlake to work out with at the alternate training site, or possibly designate him for assignment.