For a hot second tonight, it sure looked like the Sports Illustrated curse was alive and well.
The Cleveland Indians were the popular magazine’s pick to win the World Series this season, but if early results prove anything, said prediction could be off by a mile. The Tribe have stumbled out of the gate, with the first week of the season featuring subpar offense, miserable performances from the bullpen and an absolute curb-stomping at the hands of the rival Detroit Tigers.
Despite this, a few fans were trying to avoid blaming the SI jinx for any of these initial issues. However, tonight it certainly looked like the club was indeed cursed.
In the first inning of Cleveland’s bout with the Chicago White Sox, starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco took a line drive from Melky Cabrera straight to the face. It was a harrowing sight to see, and the Tribe pitcher remained down on the field for quite some time. Suddenly, the thought of Cleveland losing one of its top pitchers for the entire season appeared to be looking like a legitimate possibility.
If the latest prognosis for Carrasco is true, the Indians might have avoided a devastating blow.
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