Angels, Indians deal with injuries ahead of series finale

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians, minus all-star catcher Yan Gomes, will host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field in the finale of a three-game series.

Gomes, who was removed from Friday's game in the third inning because of discomfort in his right knee, has been diagnosed with hamstring tendinitis.

"He won't start for the next couple of days, and if this lingers we might have to think about the disabled list, but I don't think it will," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "It's been bothering him for a while."

The Angels are also dealing with some injuries. Outfielder Mike Trout has missed the last three games because of a right wrist contusion. He remains day-to-day.

The Angels on Sunday will also have an emergency starting pitcher. Right-hander Deck McGuire will start in place of scheduled starter Tyler Skaggs, who has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left adductor strain.

The Angels recalled right-hander Taylor Cole from Triple-A Salt Lake City to take McGuire's spot in the bullpen. In 32 relief appearances with Salt Lake City, Cole is 3-0 with a 5.16 ERA. He made six relief appearances with the Angels earlier this year and was 0-2 with a 2.25 ERA.

McGuire, who was purchased from Texas earlier this season, is 0-1 with a 6.12 ERA in 11 games (three starts) with the Angels.

McGuire's last appearance was in relief during a 14-5 Angels win over Houston on July 22. He pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up one hit with no strikeouts and two walks.

McGuire's last start was a no-decision in a 5-3 Angels loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 15. In that game, McGuire pitched three innings, giving up three runs and four hits with two strikeouts and two walks. He is a former first-round pick (No. 11 overall) by Toronto in the June 2010 draft.

McGuire's mound opponent Sunday will be Cleveland rookie right-hander Shane Bieber (5-2, 4.73), whose hot start this year has been tempered in recent starts.

In Bieber's first five major league starts, he was 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA. However, in his last four starts he is 1-2 with a 7.29 ERA. That includes his last start, which came July 30 -- a no-decision in a 5-4 Cleveland loss to Minnesota. In that game, Bieber pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) with six hits, seven strikeouts and two walks.

One of Bieber's biggest challenges will be dealing with Angels DH Shohei Ohtani, who has worn out Cleveland pitching this season. In his four games against the Indians, Ohtani is 9-for-18 with four home runs and eight RBI. That includes his first two-homer game on Friday night and an 0-for-4 on Saturday.

Asked whether Indians pitchers might have to re-evaluate how they are pitching to Ohtani, Francona said, "We know what we want to do, we've just got to do it better. He has a chance to be a special player."