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One of the aspects that made the Cleveland Indians an attractive pick to go to the World Series around the All-Star break was the top-end trio in the rotation of Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and first-time All-Star Danny Salazar.

Salazar has had a really down second half, however, and now it looks like the Indians might not get him back this season.

Hoynes clarified the timetable:

So there are 21 days left in the regular season. We can knock 10 of those off before Salazar can throw again and then he's 3-4 weeks from a return. Even figuring a best-case scenario, it appears Salazar wouldn't be ready for game action until around the middle of October. So late in the ALDS round or early in the ALCS round. Any setbacks means he's done for the year, even if the Indians get to the World Series.

Further, there aren't any options for a minor-league rehab assignment, so Salazar would be thrown into the proverbial fire in the playoffs without having worked himself back into game shape in a game situation.

The Indians aren't in any danger of missing the playoffs, really, as they hold a seven-game lead in the AL Central with 20 games remaining.

With this Salazar news, however, they probably need to start planning for not having Salazar back. Two days ago, my colleague Mike Axisa broke down how the playoff rotation works without Salazar.

Salazar, 26, will surely end the regular season 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.34 WHIP and 161 strikeouts in 137 1/3 innings. As noted, he made the All-Star team for the first time this season based on a huge first half. He posted a 7.44 ERA in eight second-half starts.