Cleveland Indians: 5 players that are current cornerstones for Cleveland

Aaron Civale, SP, Cleveland Indians

The 2021 season was a bit of a lost year for Aaron Civale, especially from July on when the injury happened. However, before the injury happened he was arguably the best pitcher on the team, being right up there with Bieber.

Before he went down with the injury, Civale was pitching well. He was the first pitcher in the game to reach double-digit wins and was able to maintain an ERA of 3.32. His strikeouts per nine were a bit lower at seven per nine innings, but what he was doing was working.

He’s had some bumps since returning, including giving up seven runs to Milwaukee on Sunday, however, the core talent is going to still be there. It just might take some time for him to get back to his form, which the offseason will allow.

For that reason, when talking about current cornerstones Civale should easily be included. On most teams his talent would warrant No. 1 starter consideration, but here he’s “stuck” behind Bieber.

Considering that Civale will be under contract through the 2025 season, he should be a staple in the rotation moving forward and will provide stability to the rotation if he can remain healthy. He might even have a shot at some point to become the club’s best starter.