Cleveland Indians Spring Training: Top Story Lines

Sep 7, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (right) and catcher Yan Gomes (10) celebrate a 9-4 win over the New York Mets at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

#4. Who will win the fifth spot in the starting rotation?

Thanks to the departure of Scott Kazmir to Oakland and the probable loss of Ubaldo Jimenez, there is a hole in the back-end of the Tribe’s rotation. As it stand right now, they will open the season with Masterson, Corey Kluber, Zach McCallister, and Danny Salazar. That leaves the fifth spot up for grabs between Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco, Shaun Marcum, Josh Tomlin, or random free agent signing X. Who will win the spot is anyone’s best guess at this point, but the favorite in the clubhose would have to be Carrasco. Out of options, this is a make or break year for the right-hander. He will likely start the year on the big league roster, in the fifth spot, and work like hell to try to hold onto it. Don’t rule out the other possible candidates just yet, but this is a competition worth your time and attention.