Cleveland Indians: 3 takeaways from the short sweep in Colorado

The Cleveland Indians headed to Denver for a two-game series and left with two brutal losses. Here is what stood out from the two games.

The Cleveland Indians return home Friday after a forgettable road trip that ended with two embarrassing losses against the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies are indeed one of the best teams in baseball right now, but final scores of 11-3 and 8-1 are not what the Indians had in mind.

The offense and starting pitching just didn’t have it, leaving fans wondering if the team is ever going to go on a hot streak. A 29-28 record has the Indians just one game out of first in the AL Central behind the Minnesota Twins with seven games remaining between the two teams before the All-Star break.

Five or six wins against the Twins could help turn things around, but this recent series against the Rockies made it seem like the Indians are not ready to compete for another title.

The good thing is that there is plenty of baseball left to be played, and the Indians can quickly change the narrative with a great series at home against the Chicago White Sox.

But before that begins, let’s take a look at what stood out in a rare trip to Colorado.

1. The offensive woes continue

Jason Kipnis: 1-for-8

Francisco Lindor: 2-for-8

Michael Brantley: 0-for-8

Jose Ramirez: 2-for-8

The list goes on as the Indians were stifled by the pitching of the Rockies. Add in Edwin Encarnacion‘s limited action due to injury and the Indians looked like a Triple-A team against the dominant Rockies.

It has been an odd season for Indians fans who have seen the team score in the double-digits, only to follow those performances up with games when even scoring one run is a struggle. The weak Central division helps hold off major panic right now, but the team must score to keep pace with the Twins, especially in the seven upcoming meetings.

2. Clevinger or Salazar

Mike Clevinger started Tuesday’s game with a chance to further his case to remain in the rotation on a full-time basis. Five earned runs in four innings didn’t kill his case, but it didn’t help it much either.

Danny Salazar is currently on the DL with shoulder soreness, although this injury may just be an excuse to give Salazar some time to work on whatever is troubling him this season.

The fact he has been great in the past may give him the edge over Clevinger, who was sent down to Triple-A after his start, but that doesn’t mean Salazar will keep the job if he continues to struggle.

3. Trying to stay civil

The fact it is June and the Indians are above the .500-mark, even if just by one game, means the team is nowhere near out of contention. However, the Indians must be able to play more consistent baseball.

Whether it be the starting pitching losing the game early or the lineup failing to drive in more than one or two runs, watching Indians games this season has involved a lot of frustration.

Next: Indians minor league review for May

It is easy to say things will turn around soon, but the team must prove that they are once again a threat to make it to the World Series. A nice 14-game winning streak should do just that.