The Indians announced Thursday that Clase's MRI revealed a moderate strain of the teres major muscle in his upper back, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. The reliever is expected to miss 8-to-12 weeks of activity.

EDGE Analysis

Cleveland intends to evaluate Clase weekly before pinpointing a more precise timetable for his return, but the 21-year-old won't be ready to even start a throwing program until May at the earliest while he remains shut down from activity. It's a disappointing development for Clase, the main prize Cleveland took back in the offseason trade that sent Corey Kluber to the Rangers. The hard-throwing righty was expected to vie for a key setup role for the Tribe in 2020, but the injury now makes it tough to justify drafting him even in AL-only leagues that count holds as a category. With Clase on the shelf, James Karinchak seemingly profiles as the clear top handcuff to closer Brad Hand.