Travis Hafner (oblique) is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday or Wednesday with Double-A Akron.

He'll likely spent three or four games in the minors before being activated from the disabled list. "Pronk" has been sidelined since May 20 with a strained right oblique.

Travis Hafner (oblique) is expected to begin a rehab assignment later this week.

Hafner will take batting practice Monday with his Indians teammates in New York. If that goes well, he should be cleared by team doctors to head out to one of the club's minor league affiliates by Tuesday or Wednesday. "Pronk" is about a week away from returning.

Travis Hafner (oblique) is scheduled to take batting practice Friday for the first time since being placed on the disabled list last month.

He'll likely need to take BP a couple times before being sent out on a minor league rehab assignment. Hafner said earlier this week that he's aiming to rejoin the team when the Indians return home on June 17, though that sounds overly optimistic right now. "Pronk" was batting .345/.409/.549 with five home runs and 22 RBI over his first 127 plate appearances prior to the injury.

Indians manager Manny Acta expects Travis Hafner (oblique) to begin taking batting practice on Friday.

Pronk has been hitting off a tee and taking part in soft-toss sessions. He'll need a rehab assignment before rejoining the Indians. "I think he will have to because he's been out for too long," Acta said. "We're not talking about 15 days here. It's going to be three weeks [on Wednesday] and he's not even taking batting practice yet. So after three weeks, you take batting practice and it'll mount up to a month. He's going to have to go see some pitches somewhere."

Travis Hafner (oblique) has been feeling better recently as he progresses through his hitting program.

Hafner started swinging a bat Thursday and progressed to soft toss drills and tee work the next two days. He took Sunday off before resuming the program Monday. "The first days it was bad," Hafner said. "But it's been feeling a lot better since then." Pronk hopes to return to the lineup within the next two weeks.

Travis Hafner (oblique) took dry swings with a bat Friday.

"I'll hit off the tee on Saturday and go from there," said Hafner. Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff said Friday that Hafner is about two weeks away from "game activities." Hafner was batting .345/.409/.549 with five home runs and 22 RBI over his first 127 plate appearances before going down with strained right oblique last month.

Indians placed DH Travis Hafner on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique.

Just like that, the surprising Indians now find two of their most important players on the disabled list. Although Hafner has not been hitting for prodigious power this season, he's been surprisingly productive, hitting a sizzling .345 to go along with five home runs and 22 RBI. How the Indians fare with both Hafner and Grady Sizemore sidelined will likely come to define their 2011 season.

Travis Hafner went 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and three RBI in Tuesday's 7-3 victory against the Royals.

Hafner's impressive comeback continues, as he's now batting .345/.409/.549 on the season with 22 RBI. Pronk is one of fantasy baseball's best designated hitters.

Travis Hafner capped a three-run ninth-inning rally for the Indians on Friday, taking Brandon League deep for a two-run homer in a 5-4 Cleveland victory.

The bomb snapped a 16 game home-run drought for the Indians' designated hitter. Now batting .340 through his first 106 at-bats, he has five home runs and 16 RBI on the season.

Travis Hafner went 2-for-4 and knocked in the Indians' lone run Wednesday in his return to the lineup.

Hafner was making his first start in a week because of a foot injury.

Travis Hafner (foot) returned to the lineup Wednesday.

Hafner was able to pinch-hit Tuesday, and although he's not 100 percent, he can manage the injury enough to play. "I cant tell you that he's 100% running, but he can swing the bat," Indians manager Manny Acta said.

Travis Hafner walked as a pinch-hitter Tuesday and was removed in favor of a pinch-runner.

Hafner has been out the last six days with a strained tendon in his right foot, but he's hoping to DH on Wednesday.

Travis Hafner (foot) thinks he'll be back in the lineup on Wednesday.

Hafner says he's running at about 70 percent at the moment on his injured right foot and will be available to pinch-hit Tuesday. The fact that he only has to hit helps, and it's not as if he was a speed demon in the first place. As long as he can tolerate a little pain, he should be OK.

Travis Hafner is "making progress" with his injured right foot.

Hafner will join the Indians on their six-game west coast swing, which is an encouraging sign that he will not need to be placed on the disabled list. We'll likely know something more definitive Wednesday.

Travis Hafner has a strained tendon on the surface of his right foot and will be in a walking boot until Monday.

He'll be reexamined at that time. The Indians are saying that he could be able to remove the boot and pinch-hit if need be, but it sounds like the disabled list might be in order if he doesn't show improvement by Monday. Stay tuned.

Travis Hafner (ankle) is out of the Indians lineup again Saturday.

It's the third straight game he's missed due to an ankle injury. The results of an MRI have not yet been revealed, but Pronk isn't expected out long. Matt LaPorta is in the DH spot Saturday, while Carlos Santana plays first base and Lou Marson catcher.

The Indians are still awaiting results of an MRI on Travis Hafner's ankle, but manager Manny Acta doesn't think the injury is serious.

Pronk has missed the last two games with the malady. "Our medical staff recommended one more day off," Acta said. "We'd rather be on the safe side. We just want to make sure everything's OK. He's available off the bench." The Tribe would like to get Hafner's bat back in the lineup as soon as possible, as he's batting .342/.393/.566 with four homers on the year.

Travis Hafner (ankle) is out of the lineup again Friday.

No surprise, as Pronk was scheduled for an MRI on his ankle after being a late scratch from Thursday's contest. It's probably just a day-to-day situation, but we'll update you on his status when more is known.

Travis Hafner will undergo an MRI on his sore right ankle Friday.

Hafner was scratched from Thursday's lineup just before first pitch and the Indians want to be sure that he has no structural damage. Shelley Duncan filled in.

Travis Hafner was a late scratch from Thursday's lineup due to right ankle inflammation.

At least it's not his shoulder. Shelley Duncan took over at designated hitter and will bat fifth against the Royals. Hafner is off to an impressive start at the plate this season, batting .342 with a .959 OPS through 21 games. He's being called "day-to-day" for now.