Cleveland Indians: Mike Clevinger sent back down to Triple-A

The Cleveland Indians have several days off in the near future, which has resulted in Mike Clevinger being sent down to Triple-A for the time being.

The roster shuffling continues today as Mike Clevinger has been sent back down to Columbus after a not-so-great start Tuesday night.

On the surface it may look like a demotion, but Jordan Bastian explained how it is not a permanent move.

With off days tomorrow and next Monday, the Indians are able to go with a four-man rotation until the four-game series against the Minnesota Twins that features a doubleheader.

That June 17 doubleheader could be interesting if both Clevinger and Danny Salazar pitch, as it could determine who keeps that fifth starter job moving forward.

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So while we await the returns of both Clevinger and Salazar, Kyle Crockett joins the team and gives Terry Francona yet another left-handed pitcher out of the bullpen.

He appeared in 29 games with the Indians a year ago, only going 16 innings and allowing nine runs in a season when Andrew Miller was ultimately chosen as the main lefty out of the bullpen.

But perhaps another shot will do Crockett well and help him return to the success he had back in 2014.

His addition gives the Indians an eight-man bullpen once again, which has been used for much of the season.

It is fun to see the front office give Terry Francona so many relievers to work with, and it is up to the starters and the offense to make it a weapon for the manager. Because for much of the season, the bullpen has been neutralized.

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This is about the time when the team turned it around in 2016, so let’s hope the June magic is back for the Indians. First, a win in Colorado would be nice after Tuesday’s blowout loss.