What It Means:

Salazar is hoping to be on the Indians' roster for the best-of-seven American League Championship Series if Cleveland is able to beat the Boston Red Sox, but he will be unavailable for the best-of-five American League Divisional Series. After a phenomenal first half of the season (2.75 ERA, 104 2/3 innings), the 26-year-old right-hander was diagnosed with a mild strain of the flexor musculature in his forearm last month that likely explained his second-half regression (7.44 ERA, 72 2/3 innings).

Salazar twirled a 3.75 xFIP and an impressive 27.6 strikeout percentage (league average was 21.1 percent) across 137 1/3 total innings this season. He went 11-6 in 25 starts.