The Cleveland Guardians face a critical stretch as the regular season enters its final weeks.
Their playoff hopes hang by a thread, but September has brought encouraging news with Lane Thomas progressing in his return from injury.
Thomas has been sidelined since July 6 with right foot plantar fasciitis.
His absence came at a difficult time for Cleveland, especially considering his struggles when healthy this season.
Recent reports suggest the Guardians have mapped out a specific plan for his comeback.
“Thomas said he has not begun thinking about the offseason. That stuff has a way of working itself out, as he pointed out. His priority is getting back on the field and doing anything he can to contribute to the Guardians. The overall plan is for him to build up to playing a full nine innings, at which point he could be an option to rejoin Cleveland,” MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins wrote.
The outfielder has managed just a .160 batting average with four home runs and 11 RBIs across 39 games.
Thomas began his rehab assignment with Double-A Akron on Tuesday. He played center field for five innings as part of his gradual return to game action.
The plan involves building his stamina to handle a complete nine-inning contest before rejoining the major league roster.
His return creates an interesting dynamic for Cleveland’s outfield. September call-ups George Valera and Jhonkensy Noel have joined regulars Nolan Jones and Angel Martínez in an already crowded group.
Thomas becomes a free agent after this season, which could influence how the Guardians handle his playing time.
The team may prioritize younger players for development purposes. However, if Cleveland makes a legitimate postseason push, his veteran experience could prove valuable despite his underwhelming statistical output this year.
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