The Aftermath: Three Takeaways from the Indians’ 5-4 Win Over Minnesota

The Cleveland Indians ran their winning streak to three games, taking the series opener from the Twins behind a mammoth blast from Mike Napoli.

Mike Napoli sat on 29 home runs for 21 games before knocking No. 30 out of the park, but seems to have regained his power stroke for the Cleveland Indians. The 34-year old slugger’s 32nd homer of the year, his third in the last five games, proved to be the difference in the Tribe’s 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night at Target Field.

Napoli’s shot came in the top of the fifth inning with the score knotted at four apiece off Minnesota starter Tyler Duffey, travelling 463 feet, and was the hardest hit ball by a Cleveland player this season.

The bomb was significant, as the Twins had rebounded from a four-run Indians’ third inning that had put them in a 4-2 hole to tie the game on a two-run shot by rookie Byron Buxton against Tribe starter Danny Salazar.

Salazar struggled with his command throughout the night, and left the game after just four innings due to what is being reported as right forearm tightness. This is troubling given the right-hander’s previous Tommy John surgery in 2010 and his bouts with arm fatigue and elbow soreness, which ultimately landed him on the disabled list in August.

That Cleveland needs a healthy and effective Salazar if the club hopes to make an impact in the postseason cannot be understated. The 26-year old was among the very best starting pitchers in Major League Baseball in the first half of the season, earning his first all-star nod, and the Indians’ rotation is downright scary for potential playoff opponents when he’s healthy and locked in.

In addition to concern over Salazar’s health is the fact that Saturday’s game against the Twins is a planned “bullpen day,” and manager Terry Francona had to use his relievers for five innings on Friday night. The pen tossed five scoreless innings to preserve the lead, and there are some extra arms available due to September roster expansion, but this is not how the team would have liked to start off a seven-game roadtrip.

Party All The Time

We’ve talked quite a bit at Wahoo’s on First about the power that has been provided to the Tribe’s lineup by Napoli and Carlos Santana this season, and with good reason. They are Cleveland’s first 30-home run tandem since 2002.

What makes the season the pair of them are having so special, though, is not just the longballs, but the overall slugging impact they have had on the lineup. Napoli (123 hits, 53 for extra bases) and Santana (122 hits, 54 for extra bases) have been getting big hits all year long, combining for 62 homers to date and 164 runs batted in.

The party that’s been going on for the Indians in 2016 is ramping up once again in September. And it might just be the thing that takes this team to its first divisional crown since 2007.

Elite Company

Cleveland fans are running out of superlatives for Francisco Lindor, and the second-year shortstop doesn’t look to be slowing down. Lindor went 2-for-5 on Friday, giving him 53 multi-hit games on the season, and raising his slash line to .322/.368/.460.

Only Mookie Betts, who had his 60th multi-hit game on Friday, and Jose Altuve, who has done so 55 times, have a better success rate than Lindor. And the Indians’ 22-year old star has everyone beat when it comes to three-hit games, having logged 23 such games in his sophomore season.

No Tribe player has had that many three-hit games since the tandem of Earl Averill (29) and Hal Trosky (24) in 1936, and with the way he’s started out the month, there may be a few more on the way. Lindor is slashing .469/.541/.563 in September when his team needs him the most.

How ‘Bout That Pen?

Concerns about Salazar notwithstanding, this was a good night for the Cleveland bullpen. The combination of Joe Colon, Zach McAllister, Dan Otero, Bryan Shaw, and Cody Allen kept Minnesota off the board for the final five innings to secure the victory. Colon, who did a stint on the DL and was just recalled from Triple-A Columbus, earned his first big league victory.

With a planned “bullpen day” on Saturday, the Indians may need more length out of Mike Clevinger, who is slated to start the game. Last time out in this situation, Clevinger lasted a mere 1.2 innings, throwing 43 pitches and struggling with his command against Houston. After Friday’s effort by the pen, the rookie right-hander will likely be counted on to get through at least four to five innings.

Next: Indians Will Have Tough Choices for Postseason Roster

While there is reason for some minor hyperventilation anytime a starting pitcher exits early, the Tribe now has a three-game winning streak and enough arms to weather the storm should Salazar have to miss any time. Where things get dicey is if his arm problems are more serious and force him out for an extended period of time. We’ll all hold our collective breath until we find out.