Cleveland Indians can’t afford another slip-up against the Rockies

The Cleveland Indians were embarrassed in Colorado earlier this season and can’t afford a similar situation at this point in the season.

The Cleveland Indians have Corey Kluber on the mound tonight against the Colorado Rockies, which will hopefully help the Indians end up with a much better result than when these two teams played back in June.

The Rockies won both meetings in Colorado by a combined score of 19-4. It was one of several total collapses by the Indians in a series this season, but luckily the team bounced back with a series win over the Chicago White Sox to avoid letting the disaster in Denver have any lasting effects.

But June was a time when fans were still expecting the Indians to pull away in the AL Central division at any moment. Cut to today and the Indians hold just a three-game lead over the Kansas City Royals.

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 Royals became buyers at the deadline and have not faltered, keeping pace with the Indians.

And while the Indians have upcoming series against the Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, and a game against Boston, the Royals have a much easier slate of games against the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics.

So even with Kluber on the mound tonight, the offense has to wake up after two games against the Yankees in which the offense scored a combined two runs.

I have never been a proponent of overreacting to any given series, but another dud against the Rockies along with two wins by the Royals and the Indians are in an unexpected tight race at a time when the best bullpen arm remains sidelined.

Next: Indians must not rush Miller back

There is no need to panic if things don’t go great, but having Kluber on the mound is usually a good sign. Let’s hope the offense decides to show up and back up the ace with some run support.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow