CLEVELAND -- The Indians will begin their first road trip, a six-game trip to Chicago and Tampa Bay, on Friday with their left field situation still in a state of flux. This is due to the injury to Michael Brantley, who is on the disabled list as he continues his recovery from offseason surgery on his right (non-throwing) shoulder.When Brantley will be activated off the DL is not certain. Indians officials declined to put any target date on his return, but the conventional wisdom is that he will likely be back sometime before the end of the month. Until then, Manager Terry Francona is faced with the challenge of making a daily decision on who should play left field.In the first two games of the season Francona used Marlon Byrd and Jose Ramirez as the starters in left field. Byrd was signed as a free agent halfway through spring training. In addition to Byrd, the other outfielders on the roster are Collin Cowgill, Rajai Davis, and Tyler Naquin. Lonnie Chisenhall, the expected starter in right field, is on the disabled list with a wrist injury.Losing Brantley's bat from a lineup that was expected to be the weak link on the roster this season is particularly damaging. Brantley is the Indians' No.3 hitter when healthy. With him on the disabled list it appears that Francona is inclined to make decisions on the left field starter on a day-by-day basis, depending on who is hot, the opponent, and whether the opposing starting pitcher is a left-hander or right-hander.The two most likely candidates as Brantley's replacement are the two who replaced him in the first two games, Byrd and Ramirez. The left-handed hitting Naquin is viewed as strictly a centerfielder, except vs. left-handed pitching, in which case the right-handed hitting Davis would likely start in center. Cowgill, a right-handed hitter, would likely play right field against left-handed pitching.Francona would obviously prefer to have the luxury of writing Brantley's name into the lineup every day, batting third and playing left field. But until Brantley returns, Francona may have to make it up as he goes along in right field.