Cleveland Indians Roster
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The Cleveland Indians optioned starting pitchers Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac, relief pitcher James Karinchak and outfielder Bradley Zimmer to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. Civale, Plesac and Karinchak were expected to make the Opening Day roster before the 2020 season was delayed. Zimmer has intriguing power and speed, but he has missed most of the last two years while recovering from shoulder surgery. Civale and Plesac both looked good in spring training, and both should be making starts for the Tribe at some point in 2020 if there is a season, making them acceptable streaming options in deeper leagues. Karinchak has nasty stuff and should eventually be a late-inning bullpen arm for the Indians. Even without save chances, the hard-throwing righty could have appeal in deeper leagues for his strikeout abilities.
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (elbow) received an injection in his elbow and will be shut down for a few days, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. Carrasco had an MRI exam earlier this week after the right-hander experienced some discomfort in his throwing elbow. The results revealed no structural damage, just some mild inflammation. While he avoided a major injury, it's looking more likely that Carrasco will miss the start of the season. His current ADP is 118, but he could slip in drafts due to the injury concerns surrounding him. If you are a risk-taker, he could provide excellent value at his price tag.
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger (knee) took the mound at the Indians spring training facility on Monday in his first bullpen session since having surgery to repair his partially torn meniscus. Clevinger underwent the procedure on Feb. 14 and has since made it a goal to return on the quicker end of his six- to eight-week timetable. The bullpen session was a big milestone for the 29-year-old. Good, real good, Clevinger said after he threw." The right-hander threw approximately 25 pitches and appeared to not have lost any velocity in his time off. Hell come into the Indians complex on the teams day off Tuesday to go through his recovery routine. He's likely only to miss a few starts at the beginning of the year and you should not hesitate to draft him in the top 40 overall. He's a stud when right and is in the prime of his career. He could slip in drafts because of the injury concerns, making him a nice bargain for fantasy owners.
The Cleveland Indians and star shortstop Francisco Lindor have suspended contract extension talks, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic reports. Lindor could still sign a deal with the Indians following the season but will focus on his on-field performance for the time being. "We had good conversations. We couldn't come up with an agreement," Lindor told The Athletic. Lindor possesses one of the most consistent skill sets in the league, and he's been durable. The combination of his consistency and durability make him worthy of first-round consideration in most fantasy drafts. There's a chance he could be traded this summer, but a move out of Cleveland shouldn't do much to hurt his elite fantasy value.
Cleveland Indians outfielder Tyler Naquin (knee) will need to go back to Texas to meet with his doctor before being officially cleared to resume full baseball activities, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. He suffered a torn ACL after colliding with an outfield wall in 2019 and had surgery in September. Naquin should be able to return in April or May if he's cleared. He's not worthy of consideration in most formats at the current time and should be avoided in most drafts, especially with Cleveland's outfield picture.