Cleveland Indians: Who will win the hottest camp battles?

The Cleveland Indians started camp with some heated battles brewing. The first two weeks are coming to an end and with some games under their belts, we take a look at how the battles are shaping up.

The Cleveland Indians have a set lineup for the most part. Because of this, there aren’t many places to look for a potential roster spot.

The team has a very good rotation, a still solid bullpen, and a good lineup. There are, however, some injuries to begin the season that could open play time and roster spots for some guys on the bubble.

Utility infield battle

The first battle is the battle for utility infielders. With Giovanny Urshela and Erik Gonzalez being out of options, they are absolutely showing up everyday giving 110 percent to try to earn a spot in 2018.

Yandy Diaz is also part of this battle but he does have an option remaining. The lack of options means should Urshela or Gonzalez fail to make the roster, they must be placed on waivers before they could be sent to Triple-A Columbus.

All three players have had their fair share of good games so far this spring. Gonzalez and Urshela have had a good start to the spring at the plate. Diaz has had the worst start of the three offensively but all three have displayed good defense. Their defense is what could be the deciding factor as to who gets the spot.

Urshela is the best defender of the three at the hot corner. His defense has always been many steps ahead of his offensive performance.

All three have displayed the ability to play defense at the highest level of baseball. Their offense is what they need to improve to get a spot. The Tribe is in a very good spot with these three young infielders. The Cleveland Indians will have the luxury of picking the best of the bunch to join their 2018 Opening Day roster.

The spring is far from over and these guys have a few more weeks to prove themselves. The race is on and it is a close one but I believe Gonzalez will come out on top due to his experience and versatility.

Bullpen battle

The bullpen spots are slim but there is a hole from the Bryan Shaw departure. The current group they have can help fill the void but they will need an extra guy to step up.

The club has signed a few veteran arms such as Alexi Ogando, Matt Belisle and Carlos Torres. They also have internal options such as Ryan Merritt, Nick Goody, and Tyler Olson.

The Tribe has a good bullpen core and just needs that missing piece to fill in for Shaw. They have an excellent group to choose from.

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Merritt could also be viewed as a potential starter to start the season with Danny Salazar‘s health in question. With three potential impact players possibly starting on the disabled list, the guys on the bubble have an unusual opportunity to fill holes until those guys return.