Options to Replace Cody Anderson

Starting pitching is the Cleveland Indians’ strength, but right now it’s facing some significant concerns. The obvious one is Carlos Carrasco, who injured his hamstring on April 24 and will be out 4-6 weeks. Using that timetable, the earliest return date is May 22 with the later being June 5.

That means the Tribe will be down at least six, maybe even 10, starts from its second-best pitcher (at least going into the season). It’s resolved this problem somewhat by going to a four-man rotation during stretches, skipping Cody Anderson the last time through, and moving Trevor Bauer into Carrasco’s slot. Bauer has pitched OK, allowing nine runs in 9.2 innings pitched with eight strikeouts in his two starts since Carrasco’s injury.

Anderson, however, has not. After a promising rookie 2015 where he went 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA, 44 strikeouts in 91.1 innings and 15 starts; Anderson has experienced a severe sophomore slump in 2016. His ERA sits at 7.96 and while his record is only 0-2, the Indians have lost all five games he’s started with opponents scoring at least six runs every time he’s taken the mound (not all attributed to Anderson).

This week, the Indians can (and probably should) skip him again with his next start slated to fall on an off day, meaning the Tribe doesn’t need a fifth starter until May 17 against the Reds. Last year, lefty T.J. House experienced a similar slump and was demoted to Class AAA Columbus for Anderson, who promptly took his spot in the rotation.

Bob and I talked on the podcast how rookie pitchers often go through a sophomore slump. Danny Salazar is another recent example, and two years later he’s tearing up the American League. A trip down to Columbus could be great for Anderson’s long-term future.

He’s only 24-years-old, by no means am I advocating the Indians give up on him. But a trip to Columbus is probably forthcoming if Carrasco comes back on the four-week end of that timetable (meaning Anderson’s last start could potentially be May 17). Josh Tomlin has pitched great and Bauer has at least been decent. Anderson is the odd man out when Carrasco returns.

However, if Carrasco is closer to that six-week timetable, or has to go on a lengthy rehab process putting him out until the end of June, the Indians cannot afford to have a glaring hole in their rotation. The question, though, is who would take Anderson’s place? A trade is not ideal because the Indians should focus on bolstering their offense than the rotation. I believe the answer could be sitting somewhere in the Indians’ farm system, here are a few potential options on Cleveland’s 40-man roster should consider if Carrasco is out for longer than the minimum.

T.J. House

House was the guy who got the nod in the five-hole last year after a strong 2014 debut where he went 5-3 in 18 starts with a 3.35 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 102 innings. But like Anderson his sophomore year April was a rocky one — losing all four starts with a 13.15 ERA. He struggled with a shoulder injury, but bounced back to record a 3.85 ERA in Class AAA Columbus.

Of all the guys on this list, House has the most big league experience and at least showed at one point he has the potential to be a viable big-league starter. The added perk of being a lefty helps, as the Indians do not currently have a left handed starter on the roster. And like Anderson he is only 24, but he’s also a year ahead in his development.

The downside? He’s 2-2 with a 6.39 ERA through his first six starts with Columbus in 2016.

Mike Clevinger

The 25-year-old is the No. 7 overall prospect, and fourth-best pitcher, in the Indians farm system according to MLB.com’s Prospect Watch. The three guys ahead of him are all playing in Class A or below (aka: longer-term prospects).

And despite not having any big-league experience, right now he’s pitching like he wants a shot down in Columbus with a 3.03 ERA in six starts to go with a 4-0 record, striking out 29 in 29.2 innings. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound righty was 9-8 with a 2.73 ERA for Class AA Akron in 2015 and earned a spring training invite. He recorded a 1.50 ERA with six strikeouts in five innings, three appearances.

So far he’s excelled at every level and many have tabbed him as the next Indians developed ace. Why not give him a chance at the big time?

Ryan Merritt

He leads the Clippers in innings pitched with 39 and is 3-2 through his first six starts with a 2.54 ERA and 31 strikeouts. Like House, he’s also a lefty, which could appeal to the Indians if they truly want to break up their all-righty rotation. 

Unlike House, Merritt has not spent any time in the bigs, so he’d have a lot to prove. The other concern is whether or not he is truly ready for the jump. He’s 24, like House and Anderson, and in 2015 had a solid 3.51 ERA with a 10-7 record in 22 starts at Akron. However when he got promoted to Clippers last year, he struggled, finishing with a 4.20 ERA in just five starts. The Indians may want to see a bit more out of Merritt before giving him his first shot.

Shawn Morimando

Currently in Akron, Morimando does have a spot on the 40-man roster and is tearing it up. The Tribe’s No. 16 overall prospect and No. 8 pitcher sports a 5-0 record with a 1.89 ERA in six starts.

He’s also a lefty and only 23, so skipping over Columbus to go straight to the bigs seems like a bit of a jump. Especially considering that the Indians are usually a bit more conservative with their prospects and have other solid options available in Columbus. I’d be surprised if Morimando got the call, but he’s certainly pitching his way up the farm system. I would expect at least a promotion to Columbus in the near future.

The Decision

I’d resist the urge to add a lefty just to add one and give Clevinger a shot. He’s pitched well at every level, continues to have success in Columbus and now is a good time to see how he reacts to the bigs until Carrasco gets back.