Tribe hoping Salazar can join ‘pen for playoffs

CLEVELAND — There is not enough time for Danny Salazar to return as a starter for the Indians should they punch their ticket to the postseason. The hard-throwing right-hander could potentially offer Cleveland an intriguing option out of the bullpen.

Prior to Tuesday’s game against the Royals, Salazar played catch up to a distance of 60 feet, marking his first time throwing since injuring his right forearm on Sept. 9 in Minnesota. Salazar’s comeback is one more item for Cleveland to discuss, as the club begins examining possible playoff scenarios.

“There’s a small chance he could be in our ‘pen early in the playoffs,” Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway said on Tuesday. “A one-inning stint or something like that. Of course, if you get a guy like that, you have to make sure he doesn’t pitch back-to-back and things like that, so it’d be tough, even if he was healthy. But he’d be an option.”

While Indians manager Terry Francona declined to delve into postseason hypotheticals for the American League Central-leading Tribe, Callaway also noted that the team would consider pitching starters Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer on short rest in an October setting.

Given the way the AL Division Series schedule is set up, a team could use its Game 1 starter in Game 4 on only three days of rest. Callaway said either Kluber or Bauer could handle that type of situation. If Cleveland …

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