Overall, the Cleveland Indians are enjoying a solid 2021 season to this point.
The team’s 34-28 record is good for second place in the American League Central, and it looks like the Indians will be firmly in the playoff mix for the entire season.
That said, there are a few areas of concern, all of which warrant frustrations from fans.
Let’s rank those areas.
3. The Eddie Rosario Signing Is Not Panning Out
Indians fans were optimistic about the Eddie Rosario signing prior to the season, but it hasn’t worked out thus far.
Rosario, 29, spent the first six years of his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins, where he produced a string of really solid seasons.
From 2017 to 2020, he batted .281 with an OPS of .810 and an OPS+ of 115.
He homered 96 times over that four-year span which levels out to an average of 33 home runs per 162 games.
Unfortunately, Rosario hasn’t produced at a high level this year.
He’s batting just .244, getting on base at a lowly .295 clip, and slugging .350, which would be a career low for him.
It was a low-risk, high-reward signing (given that it’s just a one-year deal), but the Indians could really use some increased production from Rosario to help even out their lineup.
The struggle in big situations from Eddie Rosario is very frustrating after how many times he burned the tribe with them in the past
— Joey Ertter (@JErtter20) May 23, 2021
2. The Bullpen Lacks A Reliable Left-Handed Option
On the whole, the Indians have enjoyed a very solid season from their bullpen so far.
The team ranks fifth in the Majors with a 3.26 relief ERA.
Much of that success is owed to Emmanuel Clase (1.05 ERA), Bryan Shaw (1.73), James Karinchak (2.67), Nick Sandlin (2.40), and Cal Quantrill (3.21).
Those five arms have been reliable options all season long, but each of them has something in common: They’re all righties.
Cleveland has just one left-handed reliever on the 25-man roster right now, and it’s Sam Hentges.
Hentges is in his rookie season and has struggled mightily.
The 24-year-old has a 7.86 ERA, 5.05 FIP, and 2.17 WHIP over 26.1 innings this season.
He’s far from a trustworthy option but has appeared in 12 medium-to-high-leverage situations this season, simply because he is the only lefty in the bullpen.
This is an area that should have been addressed long before now, and it’s a hole that the team will have to fill before the trade deadline.
1. The Back-End Of The Rotation Is In Shambles
For much of the season, it was on Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen to anchor the back-end of the Indians’ rotation.
Perhaps that was too tall of an ask for the two young arms, because neither of them had much success.
Both guys were ultimately optioned to Triple-A amid their struggles.
Over 11 appearances (10 starts) with the Indians this season, McKenzie pitched to a 6.38 ERA, 5.59 FIP, and 1.58 WHIP.
He walked 39 batters in 42.1 innings.
Triston McKenzie: Seventh game this season where he worked ≤ 5 IP and walked at least 4 batters. Ties Justin Masterson in 2012 for the most such games in a single season in Indians history. It's June 12.
— Doug Kern (@dakern74) June 13, 2021
Allen, on the other hand, got shelled to the tune of a 9.19 ERA, 9.16 FIP, and 1.72 WHIP over five starts.
The Indians have tried plugging several arms into those rotation spots, but they haven’t found any answers yet.
The trade market might be the only viable way to find a solution that sticks.
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