Cleveland Indians: Three potential starting pitchers to add

Mike Foltynewicz fits a lot of the criteria the Indians will seek out. He has experience, amazing arm talent, and a red-flag collapse of epic proportions to make him affordable. Foltynewicz went from 2018 All-Star for the Atlanta Braves to dropped to the minors and now a free agent.

So what happened? Looking back at his career, its possible 2018 was a fluke season. Foltynewicz always had arm talent since he’s been called up, and while you wait for a pitcher to figure things out, it’s alright to have a mid 4.00 ERA while you eat up innings learning.

However, once you have an amazing 2018 where he went 13-10, 2.85 ERA, 183 innings pitched, 202 strikeouts, 68 walks, and a 3.86 WAR. The expectations change, and a 4.50 ERA, give or take, is no longer acceptable practice. The Braves couldn’t wait for him to get right in the majors, and thus the demotion to the minors took place.

The reason Foltynewicz would consider Cleveland is the pitching coaches up and down the entire organization. Regaining his 2018 form is possible, but it takes a coach or organization that truly believes that one year was more like Lucas Giolito’s current run, and not that one Ubaldo Jimenez season where he never came close to regaining that elite form. Foltynewicz is one great MLB stretch from getting a major contract in 2022.

For the Cleveland Indians, he clearly has the arm talent to be a top end starter. A change of scenery may be needed, and don’t sleep on switching leagues, where many batters will not have faced him regularly. Foltynewicz would also bring some postseason experience, and familiarity with a winning culture coming out of the Braves organization.

Perhaps Foltynewicz is not the reclamation project the Indians want to add. Sure he could be affordable seeking a good opportunity for a bigger contract, but he’s going to take some attention to get back on track.

Foltynewicz has never gone 200 innings in any season, and thus being able to take the fifth spot or be more than a spot starter ready if injuries occur, may be setting the wrong expectations. Let’s look at a veteran who checks the ‘consistency’ box a bit better.