CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from March 4, 2021.
Opening Day is just three days away. And the Cleveland Indians' 26-man roster is set.
Speaking with reporters from Spring Training on Sunday, Indians President Chris Antonetti revealed that the team has decided to start the 2021 season with pitchers Logan Allen, Triston McKenzie and Cal Quantrill on its Major League roster. With Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale already locked in as the top three starters in Cleveland's rotation, Allen will start the Indians' fourth game of this season, while the Indians won't have to make a decision on who their No. 5 starter will be until mid-April.
With that, Cleveland's Opening Day 26-man roster appears to be set, as last week, the Indians announced a slew of roster decisions relating to their position players. On Sunday, Cleveland traded pitcher Adam Plutko to the Baltimore Orioles, opening a spot to keep Allen, McKenzie and Quantrill all at the big league level rather than sending one of them to the minor league alternate site to start the season.
As a result, the Indians are poised to enter Thursday's season opener against the Detroit Tigers with the following 26-man roster:
- Starting pitchers: Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, Aaron Civale, Logan Allen, Triston McKenzie, Cal Quantrill
- Relief pitchers: James Karinchak, Nick Wittgren, Emmanuel Clase, Oliver Perez, Bryan Shaw, Trevor Stephan, Phil Maton
- Catchers: Roberto Perez, Austin Hedges
- Infielders: Jake Bauers, Cesar Hernandez, Andres Gimenez, Jose Ramirez, Yu Chang
- Outfielders: Eddie Rosario, Josh Naylor, Ben Gamel, Amed Rosario, Franmil Reyes, Jordan Luplow