Cleveland Indians: Danny Salazar set to return to the starting rotation

Cleveland Indians fans will get a chance to see Danny Salazar back with the team soon after he made several minor league rehab starts.

Danny Salazar‘s struggles and injury problems have been a major disappointment for Cleveland Indians fans all season, but he will be giving it another shot soon.

Salazar’s exact return date isn’t known, but it could come as early as the weekend series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The problem hasn’t been the pitching as of late, but adding a healthy Salazar to the rotation wouldn’t hurt if he can return to his old ways. It is hard to believe the offense will remain this inept for the next two months.

More from Away Back Gone

• Cleveland Guardians tantalizingly close to locking up AL Central tiebreakers
• Cleveland Guardians: Terry Francona becomes meme in profanity-laced ejection
• Say goodbye to defensive shifts and hello to bigger bases, pitch clock in 2023
• Cleveland Guardians: Shane Bieber second-fastest to 800 strikeouts in major-league history
• The next week will make or break the Cleveland Guardians’ season

The only remaining question is who Salazar will replace. And after Tuesday night, Mike Clevinger should not be an option.

Clevinger went six innings and didn’t allow an earned run against the San Francisco Giants. It was his fourth consecutive start in which he went at least six innings, allowing just two earned runs in that span.

He has emerged as a legitimate third starter behind Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, and would likely make the postseason rotation if the Indians are able to get there.

That leaves Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer on the chopping block, and right now it looks like Bauer may be the first to be bumped. He is unable to go deep in games and has walked 37 batters this year, while Tomlin has only walked 11.

Tomlin may be shaky at times, but he has gone at least seven innings in his last two starts, while Bauer couldn’t even make it out of the first inning in his last start. Such a small sample isn’t enough to make a permanent change, but it could lead to Salazar slotting in for Bauer temporarily and seeing how that works out.

Next: 5 players who must step up in the second half

A major change can only happen if Salazar comes in and does well, so it will take a few starts before fans really know if the old Salazar is back, or if it is time to move on from him.