CLEVELAND– In 2017, the Indians had arguably the strongest pitching staff in Major League Baseball. They held a combined 3.30 ERA, the lowest in the league. They also set an MLB record with 1,614 total strikeouts. Even with their free agency losses, the team has no reason to expect anything less in 2018.
This offseason, the team said goodbye to Bryan Shaw, who signed a four-year, $34 million deal with the Colorado Rockies, and Joe Smith, who signed a two-year $15 million contract with the Houston Astros.
Smith was a deadline signing by the Tribe last summer and proved instrumental down the stretch, giving up just 16 hits and seven runs in 21 appearances.