Indians catcher Yan Gomes getting closer to rejoining team

Indians catcher Yan Gomes is getting closer to returning, but will have to catch nine innings in a rehab game before being activated, according to MLB.com.

Gomes, who has been on the disabled list since April 12 with a right knee sprain, is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus. He is scheduled to catch seven innings for the Clippers on Wednesday and DH on Thursday. Barring any setbacks, Gomes is expected to catch a full rehab game on Friday before rejoining the big league club.

"Well, he's closing in on it," Francona said via MLB.com. "I think that's stating the obvious, but in fairness to him, we probably need to get him out there nine [innings]. He probably doesn't feel like he needs to, but as bad as we'd like to have him -- and we do -- doing something a day or two early, that would be a bad mistake."

Gomes could be activated this weekend when the Indians return home for a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds.

"I think when you really boil it down, we need to make sure that this kid has every chance to be not just healthy with his knee ... you don't want another part of his body breaking down squatting for nine innings," Francona told MLB.com. "There's some common sense that [trainer] James [Quinlan] used that I wasn't seeing."