Cleveland Indians: Two pitchers claimed off waivers by other teams

Two former Cleveland Indians pitchers will be playing elsewhere in 2018 after being designated for assignment and subsequently claimed off waivers.

We have been writing about our simulated offseason here at FanSided, but the Cleveland Indians have been making real moves this month.

Last week saw some room on the roster be cleared to protect several prospects from the Rule 5 Draft. Kyle Crockett and Dylan Baker were two casualties of the process.

Both pitchers were designated for assignment, but it didn’t take long for teams to swoop them up.

Baker never got his shot with the major league club, as injuries have slowed his progress. Hopefully he can stay healthy and have a successful career with the Brewers.

Crockett is an interesting case because he got his shot with the Indians. He made 43 appearances in 2014, 31 in 2015, and 29 in 2016 before only pitching in four games in 2017.

It was clear he was passed over in favor of Tyler Olson, which was an easy choice to make when Olson set himself apart as a dominant reliever during the second half of the season. He may not be a star for the Reds, but he should find his way onto their Opening Day bullpen.

These are not the major moves fans are waiting for, but so it goes as November comes to a close. Things should start to heat up in December, when decisions will hopefully be made by the likes of Carlos Santana, Jay Bruce, Austin Jackson, and even Bryan Shaw, although retaining him remains a longshot.

Next: Potential trade offers the team could make

Fans won’t miss Crockett or Baker too much, but I wish them the best of luck. Baseball is a grueling sport, and getting let go by one team may lead to a nice resurgence elsewhere.