Cleveland Indians: Reliever Carlos Torres inks deal with the Tribe

The Cleveland Indians have just added another veteran reliever to their list of non-roster invitees this spring.

Carlos Torres spent the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2016, he posted a 2.73 ERA in 72 appearances for the rebuilding club. But last year, Torres struggled, pitching to a 4.21 ERA in five less games.

Torres signed a minor league contract with an invite to big league camp. He would’ve been projected to earn around $3.3 million in arbitration had the Brewers decided to tender him a contract. The details of his contract with the Indians are unknown at this time, but I would guess that he’s likely to get somewhere around $1 million or so if he makes the club.

Torres has been healthy over the past few years, despite the fact that he’s now heading into his age-35 season. He was primarily used around the sixth and seventh innings in Milwaukee last year.

He still has decent velocity despite his age and can still get outs.

What are Torres’ chances of making the Indians?

You’d have to think that the Cleveland Indians would give Torres a decent chance of making the team to convince him to sign. He may be coming off a bad year, but a bounceback at his age is not unprecedented.

But this pitching staff is filled with experienced options. There are a lot of non-roster invites for the bullpen this year, including experienced veterans like Alexi Ogando and Neil Ramirez.

Related Story: Can Alexi Ogando make the roster?

Torres will need a strong spring to prove he can still be an effective reliever in the big leagues. There will be a very competitive battle for the last few bullpen spots this spring. Torres will not only have to compete with Ogando and Ramirez, but also Evan Marshall, Preston Claiborne, Dan Otero, and Zach McAllister.

Torres isn’t guaranteed a spot, but he probably has the best chance out of any of the non roster players in camp. He’s been consistently in the big leagues for the past several years, unlike some of the other bullpen pitchers that are in Goodyear.

Next: Lots of competitions to watch for in camp

The Cleveland Indians lost a lot of talent from their bullpen this offseason. While Torres is not the caliber of pitcher that Bryan Shaw or Joe Smith was, he’s a major league quality bullpen arm that the Tribe was able to get for very little money.