The Indians are currently in the process of figuring out who will man their bullpen when the season begins. Unfortunately, one man will officially not be on the 25-man roster when the regular season starts later this month.
The club announced Friday that reliever Tyler Clippard will miss the next three to four weeks after being diagnosed with a mild pectoral strain. The right-hander had not pitched since Mar. 9 and was still feeling discomfort this week.
The Tribe signed Clippard to a minor league contract last month and gave him an invite to spring training, allowing him an opportunity to compete for a bullpen spot with the big club. However, the 34-year-old's health will now keep him out until at least Apr. 5, meaning he is guaranteed to miss the start of the season.
An 11-year Major League veteran and two-time All-Star, Clippard most recently pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays, posting a 3.67 ERA over 73 appearances in 2018. He had allowed just one hit and zero runs over three outings this spring.
With Clippard down, Terry Francona and the coaching staff will have to look elsewhere to fill out their bullpen. Options include fellow offseason acquisitions Alex Wilson and Nick Wittgren.
