Cleveland Indians: Projecting the starting rotation
Carlos Carrasco
Carlos Carrasco is one of the most underrated pitchers in the league and a borderline ace in his own right. Originally brought over like a piece in the Cliff Lee trade to Philadelphia in 2009, Carrasco took awhile to get going as a major league pitcher. However, he has developed into a star over the past few years. While the number two for the Indians, Carrasco projects as the best pitcher on over half the teams in baseball. The Indians are lucky to have such a formidable one-two punch that can match up with any other team.
Carrasco does an excellent job of mixing all of his pitches and strikes out well over a batter per inning while walking very few. This coupled with his ability to keep the ball on the ground and in the park make him one of the best and most complete pitchers in baseball. The big question for Carrasco will be whether he can pitch 200 innings for the second year in a row. While only projected for 175, anything over that will be a significant boost to the club.
Trevor Bauer
Trevor Bauer has long been a tantalizing young pitcher since getting drafted third overall out of UCLA in 2011. The Indians received Bauer back in 2012 as their primary return for Shin-Soo Choo in the three-team trade with the Reds and Diamondbacks. Bauer has flashed star potential but has only been an average pitcher for the Indians since they acquired him. An average pitcher with potential for more is never a bad piece to have though.
After his most successful campaign of his career last year, Bauer spent the off-season trying to replicate Kluber’s slurve and Marcus Stroman‘s slider. This coupled with the other improvements he has already made have many believing that Bauer is poised for a breakout season in 2018. The projections, however, believe he will be roughly the same pitcher he’s been the past couple of seasons.
The Indians would likely be happy with a repeat performance from Bauer, but the potential for more is exciting. Bauer has the talent to take the next step he just needs to find a way to limit the free passes and keep the ball in the park a little more. If he can do that, this rotation could be scary good this year.