The Cleveland Indians optioned right-hander Trevor Bauer to AAA Columbus today setting up a battle for the fifth spot in the Indians rotation between Scott Kazmir and Carlos Carrasco. Bauer allowed 13 runs, 11 earned over 16 1/3 innings of work this spring in the Cactus League. Bauer will likely get a call up a month or two as he works through some mechanical adjustments. Bauer was acquired from Arizona in a three team trade in December.
Kazmir has pitched well this spring working tirelessly to resurrect his career. Kaz has struck out 13 hitters in 11 innings of work and has yet to allow a run and has clearly out-pitched Carrasco no matter your metric of choice.
Carrasco has made three appearances and given up eight earned runs in 13 innings of work, with a 5.54 ERA.
Kazmir hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since 2011 with the Los Angeles Angels. Carrasco underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2011.
For what it’s worth, Kaz is a former Tampa Bay Rays player and I have a built in bias for former Rays players, not to mention being a valuable member of my 2007 Fantasy Baseball Team/s, so I’m going with Kaz. Injuries derailed an otherwise promising career and he wound up disappointing more than a few Rays fans., but all is forgiven here, go get em Kaz.
