Michael Clevinger will receive the start for Monday’s game against the Houston Astros as the Indians try to give Josh Tomlin additional time to rest and rebound from an abysmal month of August.
It doesn’t mean, though, that Clevinger is taking Tomlin’s spot in the rotation going forward. The Indians view Clevinger as a starting pitcher in the future, but for now, he’s been effective in the bullpen, and the club wants to keep him there in the short run.
“We want to keep him on his bullpen routine,” said Indians manager Terry Francona. “We’re not going to let him get real deep, just because he’s been in the bullpen and I think we all view, at this time of the year, that he has a chance to help us in the bullpen.