For most of this season, the Indians bullpen has been feast or famine. The relievers have either been very good or very bad. Coming off one of their worst series of the season, the Cleveland relievers produced one of their better performances Thursday in a 6-3 win over Seattle.

Setup man Tony Sipp and closer Chris Perez combined to pitch three scoreless and hitless innings, retiring all nine batters they faced.

Sipp retired all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth innings, striking out four. And Perez made quick work of the Mariners in the ninth, retiring three in a row on just eight pitches, all of them strikes.

That game was a dramatic contrast from the struggles the bullpen had in a three-game sweep at the hands of the White Sox, which ended Wednesday.

The Seattle Mariners found out Shin-Soo Choo is one of those players who can do it all. Choo drove in five runs with a bases-loaded double and a two-run home run to give the Cleveland Indians a 6-3 victory over the Mariners. Choo, traded to the Indians by Seattle in 2006, hit a 3-1 fastball from Doug Fister (4-11) against the right-center-field wall in the Indians' four-run sixth to score all…

Manny Ramirez finally made his hyped Chicago debut, but it was a longtime White Sox slugger who ended up providing the fireworks.

The Cleveland Indians have recalled right-hander Carlos Carrasco from Triple-A Columbus to start their series finale against the Chicago White Sox. The club also recalled right-hander Jensen Lewis and utilityman Jordan Brown from the Clippers on the first day major league teams can expand their rosters.

Manny Ramirez was not in the Chicago White Sox's starting lineup Tuesday, but he did make an appearance with his new team. Ramirez was on deck when A.J. Pierzynski hit a ninth-inning home run that gave the Sox a road 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians. While Pierzynski circled the bases, Ramirez returned to the dugout and didn't hit. Instead, he high-fived teammates to celebrate the homer. Before the game, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen told reporters that Ramirez was tired from a cross-country flight to join his new team.

The Cleveland Indians activated left-handed pitcher Aaron Laffey on Tuesday and optioned him to Triple-A Columbus. Laffey has been on the disabled list since July 23 with a tired left shoulder. He was 2-3 with a 4.62 ERA in 25 games for the Indians. Laffey began the season in Cleveland's bullpen and was sent to Columbus on May 30.

In one of the worst-kept secrets of the season, Carlos Carrasco will be heading to Cleveland to join the Indians on Wednesday when the rosters expand from 25 to 40 players.

Carrasco has had a solid year at Columbus, going 10-6 with a 3.65 ERA. He’s been particularly effective lately, going 2-3 in his last ten games, but with a paltry 2.76 ERA. In his last four games, the big righty has gone 1-1 with a 1.95 ERA, earning his call-up. Carrasco would already be with the big league club if not for a minor forearm injury in late July.

Carrasco could start on Wednesday, which would be his normal five0day rest. Josh Tomlin is scheduled to start, but it’s possible that Manny Acta may be planning to move to a six-man rotation to allow his starters to avoid strain at the end of the season, in particular with starter Justin Masterson. It’s likely that Masterson may either get shut down, or more likely, moved to the pen for the last two or three weeks. This would allow Masterson to pare back his innings during his first full season as a starter.

Carrasco has struggled in his brief cup of coffee with the Indians last season. Carrasco went 0-4 with a near 9.00 ERA. Carrasco came over in the deal with the Philadelphia that sent the Phillies ace Cliff Lee. Jason Donald, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp also came over in the deal. So far, it hasn’t paid off in immediate success for Cleveland.

Marson is currently platooning with Chris Gimenez, and is batting below the Mendoza line at .188. Marson is a capable back-up, but hasn’t yet developed into the Carlos Santana alternative that many had in mind. Jason Donald has been a solid middle-infielder for the Indians this season, although many hoped he would show a little more offensively than he has.

There’s still plenty of room and upside for Donald, but the Indians ultimately are looking at Donald as a utility player, as Cord Phelps and Jason Kipnis continue to develop at second base. Jason Knapp just returned from shoulder surgery recently, and had two blazing starts, before struggling last night. Many are resting their hats on the big righty, who if healthy, is a can’t-miss ace. Still, Knapp’s race to the majors has many miles in between.

Carrasco may be the only tangible piece to this trade that could pay off quickly. Many wonder whether Carrasco is nothing more than a quad-A player (tell me you didn’t just think of Andy Marte), but after putting up solid numbers, now is the time for the former Phillie to make his move.

While it’s likely we won’t know how the Indians came out in the Cliff Lee trade until Jason Knapp maneuvers his way through the system, it would be helpful to know that the Tribe received at least two better-than-average players for one of the best pitchers in baseball.

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Manny Ramirez hasn't made it to Chicago yet, but the White Sox are already swinging for the playoffs.

Cleveland Indians first baseman Matt LaPorta is out of the lineup for Monday night's game with the Chicago White Sox because of a strained left hip. LaPorta was injured while batting in the fourth inning Sunday against Kansas City. He said he heard a cracking or popping in his hip. It's the same hip he had surgery on last October.

Cleveland Indians first baseman Matt LaPorta is out of the lineup for Monday night’s game with the Chicago White Sox because of a strained left hip.