Indians starter Jake Westbrook is expected to miss at least one month with a muscle strain in his lower back, an injury the team initially figured would keep him out only for a few starts. He received a cortisone shot in his back Friday. Indians trainer Lonnie Soloff said the timetable for Westbrook's recovery changed because the symptoms of his injury persisted for a week since he got hurt. Soloff said the injection seemed to help Westbrook.

Indians' Westbrook gets cortisone shot ... [...]

Westbrook expected to miss 2-4 weeks ... [...]

The Indians placed SP Jake Westbrook on the 15-day DL Tuesday with a strained muscle in his lower left ribcage and decided to move Paul Byrd up one day to take his turn in the rotation Friday against the Yankees. Manager Eric Wedge said he would decide between left-handers Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers to come up from Triple-A Buffalo to take Westbrook's spot in the rotation.

The Cleveland Indians placed SP Jake Westbrook on the 15-day DL Tuesday, retroactive to April 20, with a left intercostal strain. The intercostals are a group of muscles that run between the ribs. The Indians recalled OF Ben Francisco from Triple-A Buffalo to take Westbrook's spot on the roster. Westbrook, who missed almost two months last year with a left oblique strain, is 1-2 with a 2.73 ERA. "Obviously, he's pitched very well this year," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "This is why you work so hard to have depth. We talk about it year in and year out." Wedge said Paul Byrd would move up to take Westbrook's scheduled start Friday against the New York Yankees. He said he would decide between left-handers Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers to come up from Buffalo to take Westbrook's spot in the rotation.

With Indians SP Jake Westbrook sent to the disabled list with a rib problem, Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers appear to be the favorites to get a call up from the minors to take Westbrook's scheduled Friday start against the Yankees.

The Cleveland Indians placed SP Jake Westbrook on the 15-day DL Tuesday, retroactive to April 20, with a left intercostal strain. The intercostals are a group of muscles that run between the ribs. The Indians recalled OF Ben Francisco from Triple-A Buffalo to take Westbrook's spot on the roster.

Indians place Westbrook on 15-day DL ... [...]

Indians SP Jake Westbrook, making his fourth start of the season, took his second loss Saturday at Minnesota. He walked one and struck out four, surrendering eight hits and three runs in seven innings. After Justin Morneau's home run, which cleared the tall right-field wall by a few inches, Westbrook had three 1-2-3 innings and retired 11 of 12 in one stretch.

Jake Westbrook completed his third straight quality start on Monday night, but received a no-decision after the Indians bullpen blew his 4-2 lead.Westbrook was perfect during spring training, and has carried his success into April. If Westbrook can continue this pattern, it would be an aberration for a right-hander at the age of 30. If you buy into the theory that by the time a pitcher hits his thirties, and they are what they've been, one might spend some time finding out what the Indians starter is worth on the open market.

Westbrook pitches well in no-decision. .. [...]

Jake Westbrook kept the Red Sox fairly quiet on Monday, allowing two runs (one earned) over 6.1 innings. He served up seven hits, walked three, and struck out five. The Indians bullpen ended up blowing a 4-1 lead and a win opportunity.Westbrook wasn't as sharp as he was in his previous two outings, but the numbers were still good enough. He could easily be 3-0, rather than 1-1, at this point.

Jake Westbrook went the distance for the Indians Tuesday, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out four over nine innings. Travis Hafner gave the Tribe the lead in the top of the inning with a two-run jack, and Westbrook shut the door in the bottom of the frame. He needed just 94 pitches in the complete game effort.Westbrook had a phenomenal spring, and that's carried over into the regular season, as he has a 2.76 ERA after two starts.

Westbrook notches complete-game victory ... [...]

Jake Westbrook was dealt his first loss of the season on Thursday as he allowed two runs on six hits over 7.1 innings of work, with one walk and three strikeouts.Both runs came on solo homers by Joe Crede and Juan Uribe, as Cleveland fell 2-1.

Indians' Westbrook strong for 7 1/3 innings ... [...]