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Red Sox: Banged up Cleveland Indians rotation gives Boston an edge in ALDS

By Tyler Mason

Sep 17, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (59) has his hand looked at by trainer James Quinlan after being hit by a batted ball during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Carrasco left the game. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (59) has his hand looked at by trainer James Quinlan after being hit by a batted ball during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Carrasco left the game. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Indians have caught the injury bug late into the season, which is exactly what the Boston Red Sox want before they face each other in the ALDS. 

Well folks, October baseball is finally here.

We have been waiting for the Boston Red Sox to be back in postseason play for three years now and it couldn’t feel any better.

As we all know, the Sox will be traveling over to Cleveland to face the Indians for the first two games of the series. Some say the Boston blew it by losing 5 out of the last 6 games of the season and ruining their chances for home-field advantage in this series, but should we be that upset due to who we are playing?

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The Indians caught the injury bug at the worst time of the year, right before the playoffs. In the middle of September, two of Cleveland’s best pitchers, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar went to the disabled list. The news is obviously bad for the Tribe, but great for the Sox.

Carrasco and Salazar have been two big reasons to Cleveland’s success. Carrasco was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball during the first half of the season having an ERA under 3.00 throughout that entire span. Salazar was just as good, mimicking Carrasco’s low ERA in the first half of the season.

Along with those two injures, former Cy Young winner and ace of Cleveland’s staff, Corey Kluber suffered a mid quad strain earlier last week. Even though he will be ready to pitch in Game 2 of the ALDS, it could be a nagging injury in which the Sox could take advantage of.

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Some can say that the Indians can overcome these injuries, but that’s easier said than done.

When you get to the postseason, everything changes. The atmosphere is completely different simply because one run could make or break your season. So what do you need to be successful in October? Pitching.

Once you make it to the postseason, the weather gets colder and so does the offense. Which means runs come limited in close games. So with that being said, you need to have pitching stay consistent if you want to contend for a championship.

Now without Carrasco and Salazar, the Indians have Trevor Bauer going in Game 1 to face Cy Young candidate Rick Porcello. Bauer had an “okay” year, going 12-8 while posting 4.26 ERA. Not terrible, but definitely nothing compared with what Carrasco, Salazar and Kluber did this year.

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Now don’t get me wrong, I still think the Indians are a great ball club. Their offense is dangerous and we shouldn’t count them out just yet. But with their injuries coming at the worst part of the season, this is exactly what the Red Sox asked for.

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