Cleveland Indians should use 3-man rotation in ALDS and leave off Tomlin

The Cleveland Indians should use a three-man rotation for the American League Division Series and leave veteran starting pitcher Josh Tomlin off the roster.

While the Cleveland Indians have known for over a week now that they will be in the 2017 playoffs, we still don’t know exactly how the playoff roster will be set up.

With less than a week to go, all we know for certain with the rotation is that Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer will be in the rotation while presumed number four starter Mike Clevinger will be in the bullpen.

With this move, it would appear that the Indians will turn to veteran starter Josh Tomlin to fill the fourth spot in the rotation; however, the Indians should make the tough choice and leave Tomlin completely off the roster for the American League Division Series and go with a three-man rotation like they did in the 2016 playoffs.

Last year the Indians used a three-man rotation throughout most of the playoffs out of necessity. They lost their number two and three starters to injury late in the year as both Carrasco and Danny Salazar were injured.

This year, the Indians have at least six healthy options for the rotation in Kluber, Carrasco, Bauer, Tomlin, Clevinger and Salazar. So why go with a three-man rotation to start the 2017 playoffs? Well, just look at the schedule.

Short series plus off days allow for three-man rotation

In the Division Series, the schedule goes as follows: Game 1, Game 2, off day, Game 3, Game 4, off day, Game 5. Of course, Games 4 and 5 are tentative as a team could sweep the series, but that’s how the schedule lays out.

The Division Series is the only one where there is an off day scheduled before Game 5. Because of this, the Indians can start Kluber in Game 1, Carrasco in Game 2, and Bauer in 3, all on normal rest, then in Game 4, the Indians

could

should turn to ace Corey Kluber before using Carrasco in a potential do-or-die Game 5.

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Sure, they could use Tomlin or Salazar in Game 5 and not push Kluber on short rest. Doing that would allow Kluber to pitch a potential Game 5 with an extra day of rest even. However, who would you rather see in Games 4 and 5, potential Cy Young winner Corey Kluber on 3-days rest plus Carlos Carrasco on normal rest? Or Josh Tomlin and Kluber, especially if the Indians enter Game 4 down two games to one?

I don’t think many people would want to risk losing a series with Josh Tomlin on the mound knowing Corey Kluber is able to pitch.

Of course, the Indians could sweep the series like they did in 2016 (or get swept) and this is all a moot point. However, planning on using a three-man rotation would allow the Indians to carry an extra bench player in the first round, someone perhaps like Greg Allen or even a not quite ready Michael Brantley. I’d rather have Allen’s speed on the bench or Brantley’s bat than Tomlin as a maybe used fourth starter.

I’m not saying Tomlin has no place in the playoffs either. The Indians could add him for the Championship Series and World Series, possibly using him as a fourth starter in either of those series if the club makes it that far. In a seven-game series, a four-man rotation makes more sense and Tomlin showed last year he can be effective when pitching on full (or extra) rest.

Next: Outfield injury updates

Our own Duane Rohrbacher even talked about why Tomlin in the rotation and Clevinger in the pen makes sense and made valid points. But again, in a five-game series like the Division Series, a three-man rotation should be used, especially with a guy like Kluber as the ace.