The Indians are down to the final series of the year in what can be described as a somewhat disappointing season in the sense the Tribe didn’t make the playoffs.
However, there is hope and promise that the outcome in 2016 could be much different especially as management was able to upgrade the roster in mid-season by trading some overpriced, under producing veterans to give some younger players an opportunity. The result was that the Indians were one of the better teams during the last two months of the year and concluded August and September with a combined record of 30-23.
Before we get started looking to next season (which seems to be the case quite a bit involving Northeast Ohio sports teams), the Indians (78-80) will finish the 2015 regular season with a three-game series at Progressive Field against the Boston Red Sox (78-81). A sweep by the Tribe will allow for a finish above the .500 mark for the year.
One of the feel-good stories for the Indians in the second half was the return of pitcher Josh Tomlin, who successfully has come back from shoulder surgery. I’ll admit that I was not optimistic that Tomlin really had much value left at this point in this career, but the way he pitched in his nine starts has made me eat crow.
Tomlin is an impressive 6-2 with a 3.03 ERA in 59.1 innings and has struck out a surprising 52 hitters. He’s also compiled a 0.81 WHIP, walked just 0.91 hitters per nine innings and has allowed only 6.37 hits per nine innings – all career-best marks.
Tomlin gets the start at 7:10 p.m. Oct. 2 against Red Sox lefty Henry Owens (4-3, 3.84 ERA), who makes his 10th start for Boston this season. Owens was impressive in his last start on Sept. 27 when he pitched 7.2 innings against Baltimore and gave up just three hits and no runs.
Corey Kluber (8-16, 3.62 ERA) will make his final start of the season at 7:10 p.m. Oct. 3. The Red Sox have yet to announce a starter.
Kluber did not have a repeat of his dominant season in 2014 when he won the Cy Young award, but he has pitched well despite his lack of wins and accumulation of losses. In 214 innings and 31 starts, Kluber has struck out 236 while walking just 43 and allowing 186 hits for a 1.07 WHIP. Those are impressive numbers, folks.
Danny Salazar (13-10, 3.51 ERA) will take the hill for the Indians season finale at 3:10 p.m. Oct. 4 while Boston will counter with Rick Porcello (9-14, 5.02 ERA).
Salazar has had a successful season and has firmly established himself as a solid MLB starter. If you think back to the beginning of the season for Salazar, it started with him in Columbus.
What he’s done since then is pitch 179.2 innings in 29 starts and he’s struck out 189 batters, while walking 52 and allowing 152 hits to compile a solid 1.14 WHIP. That’s a pretty darn good season for the young man, who is only 25 years old. If the Tribe can get that kind of performance out of Trevor Bauer (who is 24) next season, then the Indians rotation is going to be impressive.
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