Cleveland Indians: 3 players who have something to prove in final 40+ games

Emmanuel Clase, RP, Cleveland Indians

Going into the season, and for much of the games played so far, the Tribe have used a committee approach to the closer role. Depending on the situation and recent usage, both James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase were getting chances to close out games. With Karinchak’s recent struggles, Clase has the chance to prove that he can be the club’s full-time closer.

So far this season, Clase has 18 saves compared to the 11 of Karinchak. Clase also has just three blown saves while Karinchak has four. On the surface there isn’t a huge difference, but overall Clase has put together the stronger season.

He’s been able to keep his ERA low at 1.55 while averaging 9.8 strikeouts per nine. He also hasn’t allowed a run since July 16 and just three hits in the month of August. He also hasn’t pitched in the eighth inning or earlier since July either.

The key for Clase now through the rest of the season is to prove himself as the true closer in Cleveland. The coaching staff is showing their trust in him to close down games and if he can consistently do that then he could secure the closing job moving forward.

Bradley Zimmer, OF, Cleveland Indians

Similar to Clase, the opportunity for Bradley Zimmer is clearly there. Now, he just has to take advantage of it. Turning 29-years old in November, Zimmer is in a similar situation that Tyler Naquin was in last year. If he wants to stay with the organization moving forward, he needs to end the season on a strong note.

The good news for Zimmer is that he’s already started the process. After having an injury riddled stretch that saw him play just 63 games over three seasons from 2018 through 2020, Zimmer has been able to showcase the potential that caused him to be Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.

With an outfield that is essentially an open race, Zimmer has taken control recently and seems to be surging through the end of the year. At least he had been. What initially seemed like the beginning to Zimmer finally tapping into his full potential is now looking like a flash in the pan.

Over the last two weeks he’s slashing .205/.289/.308 with just one double and one home run. The last week is actually even worse. That won’t cut it. If Zimmer wants his shot at staying in Cleveland, he needs to find his swing again. Otherwise, he could get the same fate as Naquin and be let go at the end of the year.

Amed Rosario, SS, Cleveland Indians

If you’re a frequent visitor here, you should be well aware of the many middle infielders are coming up through the minors right now. That’s probably the deepest position in the minors for Cleveland right now, rivaled only by pitching. So that means there’s going to be moving pieces.

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Unfortunately for Amed Rosario that means he might be out of a spot in the field. While Rosario has been rather solid at the plate, batting near .300, his glove has been a bit of a crutch in the field. At shortstop he has seven errors for a .978 fielding percentage. While that might not seem too bad, shortstop is a position to hope to have near error-free.

Rosario also has the ability to play in the outfield, but his bat became much better when he was at his natural position of short. Moving him around could harm his bat again.

So, what Rosario needs to focus on down the stretch is his defense. We’ve witnessed what he can do at the plate and the club should feel good about that side of his game. However, if his glove is still a concern, that will hurt his chances heading into next year. An error-free finish to the season could really do wonders for his career outlook in Cleveland.