CLEVELAND -- Focusing on what's happened the past few times he's taken the mound would probably be counterproductive for Ed Mujica.

But focusing when he's actually on the mound might be a good idea.

"I've had a couple bad outings," Mujica said. "I feel like my focus is a little bit down right now. But I'll just try to keep it up and help my team."

Mujica hasn't been much help lately. After notching 10 consecutive scoreless appearances, Mujica blew a four-run lead in the eighth against the Tigers on July 30.

Then he blew a three-run lead in the ninth against the Rays on Aug. 6.

Then he gave up three inherited runs and one run of his own -- yet still walked away with the win -- on Monday night against the Orioles and followed that up by allowing four more runs on Thursday night.

Add it all up, and Mujica has allowed 12 runs in his last 3 1/3 innings pitched.

It hasn't exactly been a stretch that's inspired confidence in Mujica's ability to help out in the late innings, which is why the Indians weren't planning on using Mujica on Friday or Saturday against the Angels.

"We're going to give him a work day," manager Eric Wedge said. "A couple weeks ago, he was as good as anybody we had back there. We're going to try to get him back on track."

Mujica admits that pitching in the eighth and ninth innings was an adjustment for him -- and one that went poorly.

"It's different," he said. "For the ninth inning, when you have a save situation, you have to think different, because you need three outs to get the job done."

Mujica said he's keeping his head up despite his travails. And Wedge, hungry for any kind of help in the relief department, still hopes to lean on him again.

"He has to remember how confident he was a couple weeks ago," Wedge said.