From the ABJ yesterday on Chisenhall:
And the clock is ticking in terms of his potential return, whether it be for the regular season or potentially the postseason in October. If Chisenhall were to really be able to contribute to a potential postseason run, he’d need to return with some time to spare to build up his at-bats and ensure his timing is where it needs to be.
One issue is that minor-league teams only play so far into September and don’t have lengthier postseasons like in the majors. The chance to log enough rehab appearances has created a tight window. There’s no clear answer as to whether Chisenhall will make any meaningful contributions again this season. His timetable remains in limbo.
“I’ll end up in a gray area,” he said. “I just want to end the year with a clean bill of health or come back with a clean bill of health. I don’t want to short change any of the preparation. I’m going to have to jump through some hoops two, three times.”
The race is on, but it’s also a situation in which Chisenhall can’t risk another setback. He also went through something similar last season when his right calf forced him to the DL. He believed he was ready to enter the playoff atmosphere, but he wasn’t.
“I thought I was prepared last year. I remember my game against [New York Yankees pitcher Luis] Severino pretty vividly,” he said. “I wasn’t prepared for that. It’s hard to simulate playoff atmosphere, especially when you’re playing catchup the whole time and you’re not feeling like yourself.”
Chisenhall and the Indians have effectively looked at every possible scenario as to why he’s had so much trouble with his calves since last year, and why he can’t seem to stay off the DL. They checked his diet. They checked his gait. They checked his routines. Nothing has stood out or been indicated as the primary catalyst.
That, as much as anything, has added to the frustration.
“I wish I could put my finger on it and say it was something in my diet, something [with] how my body works, but there’s not anything sticking out, so you just grit your teeth and go. It’s tough,” Chisenhall said. ““We did blood work, there’s nothing wrong. I’m not averse to any foods. No foods cause inflammation. I can eat stuff whenever. I take all the supplements that they say to take. It’s strange. Frustrating is a nice word for it.”
There’s never a good time to be injured, but Chisenhall’s situation is an especially poor one. He’ll be eligible for free agency after this season, making this is a crucial winter for his future outlook. He’s been a quality hitter, but injury concerns could have a drastic effect on his market value.
“You know, it’s not great timing,” he said. “Luckily, I have a bit of a track record moving forward. That’s one where you want a clean bill of health. Especially the Indians know me more than anybody else does. I’m doing a lot of my stuff in front of them. But next year is next year. We’ll see how this year ends up.”