MLB notebook: Indians' Lindor (calf) out two months

Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor will be sidelined seven to nine weeks after sustaining a right calf strain, the team announced Friday. The Indians said Lindor recently hurt the calf while preparing for spring training in Orlando, Fla. An evaluation on Wednesday at the Cleveland Clinic confirmed there was a moderate strain.

The timetable makes it likely Lindor, 25, will miss all of spring training and possibly the first two weeks of the regular season. Cleveland opens the regular season against the Minnesota Twins on March 28. The three-time All-Star achieved career highs of 38 home runs and 92 RBIs last season while batting .277 in 158 games. He had 82 extra-base hits and tied for the major league lead with 129 runs.

--Outfielder Matt Joyce announced that he signed a minor league deal with Cleveland. Joyce, 34, spent the past two seasons with the Oakland Athletics. He reportedly will receive an invitation to spring training with the Indians. If he makes the big league club, Joyce will earn $1.25 million on the deal, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Joyce played in just 83 games for the Athletics last season as he contended with back injuries. The one-time All-Star hit .208 with seven home runs and 34 runs. --The New York Mets signed veteran middle infielder Danny Espinosa to a minor league contract, the team announced.

The Mets said Espinosa has been invited to spring training with the big league club. The 31-year-old California native has made 600 appearances at second base and 220 at shortstop over eight major campaigns. He has a .221 career average with 98 homers in 872 games between 2010-17. Espinosa was released by four teams in 2018, including during spring training by the New York Yankees. He later bounced around minor league affiliates of the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies and was released by each organization.

--Field Level Media

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