Grady Sizemore

Grady Sizemore is ready to give 100 percent effort to the Cleveland Indians' pennant chase. The three-time All-Star outfielder was activated from the disabled list Monday in time for the second-place Indians' most important series of the season — a three-game home set against the first-place Detroit Tigers. "I'm excited," Sizemore said. "This is where you want to be. You want to be contending in September. " Manager Manny Acta was happy to put Sizemore in the leadoff spot in the batting order, playing center field, as Cleveland sought to trim the Tigers' 6 ½-game lead.

Grady Sizemore will start the season in a familiar spot — on the disabled list. The oft-injured Cleveland Indians outfielder is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks with a back injury, the latest medical setback for a three-time All-Star who once appeared to have a sensational career ahead of him. The team said Sizemore underwent a "minimally invasive" lower back procedure Thursday in Miami. He required a micro discectomy that was performed by Dr. Barth Green of the University of Miami School of Medicine.

Grady Sizemore will start the season in a familiar spot — on the disabled list. The oft-injured Cleveland Indians outfielder is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks with a back injury, the latest medical setback for a three-time All-Star who once appeared to have a sensational career ahead of him. The team said Sizemore underwent a "minimally invasive" lower back procedure Thursday in Miami. He required a micro discectomy that was performed by Dr. Barth Green of the University of Miami School of Medicine.

Even as other teams made him offers, Grady Sizemore knew there was only one that made sense for him. He still belonged with the Indians. "I wasn't ready to say goodbye and move on," he said. On Wednesday, the Indians re-signed Sizemore to a one-year, incentive-based contract, bringing the oft-injured former All-Star outfielder back for another chance to become the electrifying player whose career has been derailed the past three seasons by injuries and surgeries. Sizemore's journey into free agency didn't take him every far. Although there were "good offers from good...

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff The Red Sox were connected to outfielder Grady Sizemore early in the free agent process. But a flurry of reports tonight suggest that he is closing in on a deal to stay with the Indians. So cross that name off your list.

■Nationals righthander Livan Hernandez reached 50,000 pitches for his career in the second inning. Among active pitchers, only Boston's Tim Wakefield has thrown more. ■ Bronson Arroyo has given up 36 homers this season, the most ever by a Reds righthander. Lefthander Eric Milton holds the franchise record of 40 homers allowed. ■Indians designated hitter Jim Thome walked twice, extending his team record to 1,000 walks. He has 1,717 for his career, eighth all time and 16 behind Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle . ■The Phillies' Ryan Howard...

Spurned by Carlos Beltran , the Indians traded for Kosuke Fukudome and hope to keep upgrading their sagging offense. Cleveland acquired the outfielder from the Cubs for two prospects yesterday, one day after making an offer to the Mets for Beltran, who exercised a no-trade clause in his contract and was instead dealt to the Giants. "We're a better team than we were yesterday," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "Kosuke helps us offensively and defensively.

Ronnie Belliard hit a three-run homer to help the Indians to a 12-8 victory over Chicago last night in Cleveland, their third straight win over the White Sox. Jermaine Dye homered twice and drove in five runs, and Jim Thome had three RBIs for Chicago, which led, 5-2, trailed, 7-5, and went ahead, 8-7. But Chicago couldn't prevent the Indians from winning the final three games of the series after losing the opener, 11-0. Ben Broussard had four of Cleveland's 14 hits.

Only a few hours into the season's final month, the Cleveland Indians have already added another name to their overflowing disabled list. Outfielder Shin Soo-Choo's rocky season has hit another bump. Choo was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained side muscle Thursday by the Indians, yet another injury the team will have to overcome as it tries to stay in the playoff chase. The Indians are already missing outfielders Grady Sizemore and Michael Brantley, slugger Travis Hafner, pitchers Josh Tomlin and Carlos Carrasco and second baseman Jason Kipnis.

Cliff Lee won his seventh straight decision and the Indians hit for the cycle on the first nine pitches they saw in a 12-4 rout of the Minnnesota Twins last night in Cleveland, stretching their winning streak to seven games. Cleveland had 17 hits to win for the 18th time in 23 games and maintain its 1 1/2-game lead over the Yankees in the wild-card race. The Indians also pulled within 5 1/2 games of first-place Chicago in the Central. Coco Crisp tied a career high with four hits, Ronnie Belliard hit a three-run homer, Victor Martinez added a two-run shot, and Grady...

Hockey Crosby back in Penguins' lineup tonight Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby will make his season debut tonight in Pittsburgh against the Islanders, his first game in nearly a year since being sidelined with concussion-like symptoms. Crosby, 24, hasn't played since taking head shots in consecutive games in January against Washington and Tampa Bay. The 2007 NHL MVP spent the last 10 months undergoing a painstakingly thorough rehabilitation that left him wondering when - or even if - he'd play again and forced the league to take a harsher stance policing head hits.

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff The Red Sox were connected to outfielder Grady Sizemore early in the free agent process. But a flurry of reports tonight suggest that he is closing in on a deal to stay with the Indians. So cross that name off your list.

The Cleveland Indians' bullpen was untouchable in the first game of Tuesday's day-night doubleheader. Three relievers combined to hold Chicago without a hit in the final three innings in a 4-3 win. Asdrubal Cabrera's solo home run and six strong innings from Fausto Carmona played major roles in the victory. The second game didn't go nearly as well. Although the Indians built an early 4-0 lead, four relievers allowed three earned runs in 3 2-3 innings to waste a solid starting effort by rookie right-hander Zach McAllister in a 5-4 loss.

Jim Thome spent less than two seasons in Minnesota, hitting 37 home runs, including historic No. 600. He returned to Target Field as a visitor for the first time on Friday night, and Twins' fans had a chance to show how much they appreciated his short tenure in a Minnesota uniform. Thome was given a standing ovation prior to his first at-bat, and was applauded again even after hitting home run No. 603. The drive helped the Cleveland Indians beat the Twins 7-6 Friday night to keep the Detroit Tigers, at least for a few hours, from clinching the AL Central title.

The Cleveland Indians head into the final 16 games of the regular season out of the playoff race and pointing toward next season. At least they expect to have outfielder Shin-Soo Choo back in the lineup for Thursday night's series finale against the Texas Rangers. The Indians lost for the seventh time in nine games when they were routed by the Texas Rangers 9-1 on Wednesday night. Choo has been on the 15-day DL since Sept. 1 with a left oblique strain. He's been limited by injuries to 84 games after a 22-homer, 90-RBI season in 2010.

Doug Fister's breaking ball put the brakes on Cleveland's challenge to first-place Detroit. Fister struck out a career-high 13, Victor Martinez hit a three-run homer and the Tigers beat the Indians 4-2 on Monday to extend their AL Central lead to 7 ½ games. "That's the best I've seen Fister," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, still wary of the gritty Indians. "I'm not looking ahead," he said. "We haven't done anything but put ourselves in good position. That's all. " Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski laid the groundwork for the surge by acquiring Fister (7-13)

Randy Johnson tantalized the crowd, taking a no-hit bid into the sixth inning. More importantly, he gave the Yankees' pitching rotation a dominant win. Johnson pitched two-hit ball for eight innings and struck out 11, leading the Yankees over the Minnesota Twins, 4-0, last night in New York. Johnson (11-6), who matched his season strikeout high, showed no signs of the minor back pain that caused the Yankees to cut short his start in Anaheim last week. He hit Shannon Stewart with his second pitch of the game, then got Nick Punto to ground into a double play, getting 17 straight outs until Juan Castro...

The Cleveland Indians' climb to get back to the AL Central lead just got steeper. Ubaldo Jimenez pitched seven effective innings, but Doug Fister struck out 13 to lift the division-leading Detroit Tigers to a 4-2 victory Monday. The second-place Indians dropped to 7 ½ games back, their largest deficit of the season. The three-game series continues Tuesday night, which falls into the must-win category for the Tribe. "We need to be ready to even up the series," manager Manny Acta said.