Cleveland Indians: Projecting the three-man Wild Card round rotation

These three arms will most likely be tasked with sending the Cleveland Indians to the ALDS.

Despite losing eight straight games in September, the Cleveland Indians are zeroing in on clinching their fourth postseason berth in the past five years.

After taking three of four from the Tigers over the weekend, the Indians are now 29-24 on the season and their magic number to lockdown a trip to the postseason is just two.

It also seems likely the Indians will be locked into the seventh seed in the eight-team postseason in 2020 as they trail the White Sox by five games with just six to play in the AL Central standings are 2.5 games behind the Twins for second place.

Thus, unless they make a surprising run at second or see the 26-26 Toronto Blue Jays leap them for the seventh seed, they likely to stay in their current spot in the standings.

Regardless of seeding, the Indians, like every team to reach the postseason, will be gearing up for a three-game wild card round, which for Cleveland will likely be on the road either in Chicago, Tampa or Oakland.

That will leave either Terry Francona and Sandy Alomar with a decision on how they want to go about lining up their three-man rotation.

Cleveland has not been shy about mixing up the game one starter in a best of five series as in 2017, the Tribe went with Trevor Bauer over Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber in Game One of the ALDS in order to hopefully take a commanding 2-0 lead. However, in a best of three, the rotation is likely to be far more predictable.

Here are the likely three arms that the Indians will tab with starting duties in next week’s Wild Card Round.