Cleveland Indians: Carlos Carrasco developing as a stopper

Every team needs a starting pitcher who can put a halt to any losing streak, and the Cleveland Indians have that in Carlos Carrasco.

Carlos Carrasco has won again. Carrasco took the mound on Tuesday night trying to help the Cleveland Indians bounce back from a loss the day before. It’s the third time Carrasco has been in that spot. The Indians have won all three of those games.

In those three starts, Carrasco is 2-0, allowing three earned runs in 20 innings for a 1.35 ERA. When a team is coming off a loss, these are the numbers they need from their starting pitcher.

A pitcher who puts up those kind of numbers gives his team a great chance to win. Carrasco does that every time out. His ERA for the year is 1.86, but it takes somebody special to go out there the night after a loss, when the offense might be struggling a little bit, and find a way to hold the other team down.

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Carrasco stops losing streaks. He prevents them from even getting off the ground. This is a team that has yet to build any serious, positive momentum, but they’ve also prevented the negative momentum from building as well.

This team in particular has a use for a guy like that, considering their bullpen. Carrasco was done after seven innings on Tuesday night. He only left with a 3-0 lead, but the game was over.

With Andrew Miller and Cody Allen waiting to come in and seal the deal, there was no stress felt in Cleveland. (Of course, thanks to a Yan Gomes three-run home run, Allen wasn’t even needed and Nick Goody closed the door in the ninth.)

This team is struggling to find its identity. Edwin Encarnacion is struggling. The offense can’t get itself going. The starting pitching hasn’t been consistent. The bullpen has been mostly lights out, especially the back-end, but they can’t be effective, unless they get a lead.

Next: April minor league review

Carrasco has been the guy. He’s consistently giving the team a chance to win and he’s refusing to let this team go on a losing streak.