x
Breaking News
More () »

Projecting Indians bullpen as pitchers and catchers go through first Spring Training workout

Here is a projection for what the Cleveland Indians' bullpen will look like on opening day of the 2019 season.
Credit: David J. Phillip
Cleveland Indians pitcher Brad Hand throws against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning of Game 2 of the American League Division Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Saturday, October 6, 2018.

CLEVELAND — For the Cleveland Indians, it is time to get down to the business of baseball.

Pitchers and catchers reported to Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona, on Tuesday, went through their physicals with the team medical staff Wednesday, and now, they are set for the first official workout of Spring Training today.

The rest of the team will report to Spring Training on Saturday.

Here is a projection as to what the Indians’ bullpen will look like when the 2019 regular season begins against an American League Central Division foe, the Minnesota Twins, at Target Field in Minneapolis on March 28.

Credit: Tony Dejak
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Adam Plutko delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Monday, September 3, 2018.

Long relief: Adam Plutko

Last season, Plutko was a spot starter for the Indians, and over 17 appearances, including 12 starts, he posted a 4-5 record with a 5.28 earned run average with one save and 63 strikeouts against 25 walks allowed in 80.1 innings.

Long relief spots could become emergency starters for the Indians, but the team could just as well keep another arm and send Plutko down to Triple-A Columbus to keep him sharp as a rotation pitcher.

Credit: Orlin Wagner
Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Alex Wilson during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, July 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Middle Innings: Alex Wilson, Nick Wittgren, Tyler Olson

In 290 games over six seasons with the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers, Wilson has a 13-13 record with a 3.23 ERA, 53 holds and four saves. Over 320.2 innings of work, Wilson has allowed 115 earned runs, but registered 213 strikeouts against 81 walks while holding hitters to a .250 batting average.

In three years with the Marlins, Wittgren compiled a 9-5 record with a 3.60 earned run average over 127.2 innings of work in 118 appearances. Wittgren registered 15 holds and 116 strikeouts against 125 hits and 51 earned runs allowed.

Opposing batters have hit .254 against Wittgren in his Major League Baseball career.

Wittgren comes to the Indians after a productive 2018 season in Miami.

Over 33.2 innings of work in 32 appearances, Wittgren struck out 31 batters against 15 walks, 29 hits and 11 earned runs allowed. Wittgren finished the year with a career-best 2.94 ERA, four holds and limited opposing hitters to a .223 batting average.

Credit: Michael Reaves
Miami Marlins reliever Nick Wittgren delivers a pitch in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida on September 2, 2018.

The Indians’ resident lefty-lefty specialist, Olson was a lights-out pitcher out of the bullpen in 2017, not allowing a run and limiting opposing hitters to a .188 batting average over 20 innings of work in 30 appearances.

At times during the 2018 season, Olson struggled to keep the ball in the park. After not allowing a home run in either the 2016 or 2017 seasons, Olson gave up four round-trippers and 15 earned runs over 27.1 innings of work.

Setup: Dan Otero, Oliver Perez, Adam Cimber

Otero was solid in his first two years with the Indians (2016-2017), but had his struggles in 2018. Otero allowed 34 earned runs and 12 home runs, while opponents hit .289 against him in 58.2 innings of work over 61 appearances.

Despite the struggles, Otero has a lifetime record of 22-8 with a 3.27 earned run average over 374.0 innings, and is 10-2 since joining the Indians.

Credit: Tony Dejak
Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Oliver Perez delivers in the seventh inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Wednesday, September 5, 2018.

Left-handed relief is a need for the Indians to fill after Andrew Miller’s departure in free agency, and Perez, along with Olson, will help fill that void.

In 2018, his first season in Cleveland, Perez posted a 1-1 record with a 1.39 ERA over 32.1 innings of work in 51 appearances. Perez allowed just five earned runs, one home run and seven walks against 43 strikeouts while limiting hitters to a .155 batting average.

Not only will Cimber be a set-up man to get the game to the ninth inning, but he is the pitcher relied on to confuse opposing hitters because of his unique arm angle. In 20.0 innings of work over 28 appearances for the Indians last season, the submarining Cimber registered seven strikeouts and posted a 4.05 ERA.

Credit: Phil Long
Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Brad Hand delivers against the Tampa Bay Rays during a game at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Friday, August 31, 2018.

Closer: Brad Hand

After being traded to the Indians last July, Hand appeared in 28 regular-season games, where over 27.2 innings, he struck out 41 batters and walked only 13 with a 2.16 earned run average. Hand was 0-1 with eight saves over the final two months of the 2018 season.

In his career, Hand is 18-38 with a 3.76 ERA over 529.1 innings pitched in 313 appearances for the Florida/Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres and Indians. He has registered 55 career saves, including a single-season best of 32 in 2018.

Hand has struck out 511 opposing hitters and limited batters to a .234 average.

“He’s a freak,” said Cimber, who came to the Indians along with Hand in a trade for catcher Francisco Mejia last season. “His stuff is amazing. Mentally, he’s just unfazed by anything. I saw so many times this last year that everybody in the bullpen was clinching their teeth and he was like, ‘Whatever, man.’”

Before You Leave, Check This Out