The flu bug that has been going around the Indians Player Development Complex has caught up to Carlos Carrasco.
The right-hander was slated to start Saturday's game against the Dodgers but is scratched due to illness. Bruce Chen, who was slated to pitch in a sim game, will instead get the start.
The left-hander, who was signed on Feb. 18, is making his third Cactus League appearance but first start. In five innings, he has allowed two runs on three hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.
In the race for the final two spots in the rotation, Chen will be trying to equal Friday's outings by T.J. House and Zach McAllister. Against the Cubs, House allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings along with two hits. He had six strikeouts, including striking out the side in the third.
McAllister started the split-squad game against the Diamondbacks and didn't allow a run in four innings on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
"I want to see guys pitch well because it bodes well for us," Terry Francona told reporters on Saturday. "The harder one is when guys aren't throwing well and you have to find someone. Healthy competition is good."
Through nearly two weeks of Cactus League play, House appears to have an edge on one of the spots with McAllister, Chen, Danny Salazar and Josh Tomlin in the mix for the final one. Tomlin will pitch on Saturday after Chen and Salazar is pitching in a sim game on Monday.
Brandon Moss was slated to play on Saturday but will miss a second straight day due to the flu. Francona is optimistic that Moss can play right field on Sunday against the Padres.
Ryan Raburn, who experienced some left knee discomfort on Thursday, is back in the lineup and will be in right field.
WALTERS UPDATE: Zach Walters is out at least 3-4 weeks after straining his right oblique during a swing in Thursday's game against the Royals. Judging by oblique injuries to Jason Kipnis and David Murphy last season, it is likely to be 4-6 weeks.
"Regardless of what the MRI says you have to treat the symptoms. He can't do baseball activities until he is pain-free," Francona said.
Walters, who was acquired in the Asdrubal Cabrera trade with Washington, was in the mix for one of the bench spots before the injury. Besides his power (he had seven home runs in 30 games after joining the Indians last season) Walters offered versatility by playing three infield spots along with right and left field.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Clint Frazier got his first chance to impress the major-league staff and delivered with a three-run homer in Friday's split-squad win against the Cubs.
While the home run by the 2013 first-round pick did open plenty of eyes, Francona said there is still a lot about Frazier that is unknown.
"I don't know if you can see a guy's personality in one day," Francona said. "We don't know what he is yet. He has power, but no one knows what type of hitter he is. As he goes through the various levels, we will see what adjustments he makes."
