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Cleveland Indians: Questions Surround World Series Rotation

By Eric Roseberry

Oct 18, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game four of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game four of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Indians will appear in the World Series for the first time since 1997. What will their starting rotation look like over the next few days?

Most baseball fans weren’t sure what to expect from the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 postseason. They were a team ravaged by injuries, especially in the starting rotation. Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco were both unavailable, and Trevor Bauer famously injured his finger on a drone prior to his ALCS start. In spite of these issues, Cleveland went 7-1 in the first two rounds and find themselves in the World Series for the first time since 1997.

These injuries prompted a number of questions regarding Cleveland’s starting rotation heading into the World Series. On Sunday manager Terry Francona gave some tentative answers. As Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reported, Corey Kluber will get the Game 1 start. Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin will likely follow in Games 2 and 3.

Kluber is a worthy Game 1 starter, and he was the best pitcher in the Indians rotation this year. During the regular season he was 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA (3.26 FIP). He’s made three starts this postseason throwing a combined 18.1 innings with an 0.98 ERA. He’ll look to shut down a Cubs offense that has found its groove. Chicago racked up 23 runs in their final three NLCS games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. As if that task wasn’t difficult enough, Kluber will be pitching opposite Jon Lester. Lester has an 0.86 ERA in the 2016 postseason, and Chicago is 3-0 in his starts.

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After Kluber, things get a bit more cloudy. Bauer only recorded two outs in his previous start because the cut on his finger opened back up. On Friday Mark Schwab reported that Bauer’s injury shouldn’t be a problem in the World Series. The team is confident he will be able to make his Game 2 start.

Josh Tomlin had a decent regular season for Cleveland, but he’s really come through for them in the playoffs. The Indians have won both of his starts, and he’s allowed only three earned runs over 10.2 innings of work. He’ll be given the difficult task of pitching against the Cubs in their first World Series game at Wrigley Field since 1945.

The wild card in all of this is Danny Salazar. Salazar hasn’t pitched since September 9 due to an injury, and the team was unsure if they would have him available. On Saturday Francona told reporters that Salazar is “ready to go.” According to Paul Hoynes, Salazar pitched a three-inning simulated game on Sunday, and he wasn’t restricted on pitch use. A healthy Salazar could be a huge boost for Cleveland. Before his injury he was 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA (3.74 FIP).

Next: World Series Tickets Will Break the Bank

On Tuesday night Cleveland and Chicago will face off in Game 1 of a highly anticipated World Series. Both teams will be looking to end significant championship droughts, and the starting pitchers in this series will have a lot to say about its outcome. Cleveland came in to the postseason with a lot of concerns, but their pitchers have been up to the task. Can they surprise the baseball world one more time? We’ll have the answer to that question soon.

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