Sometimes a seemingly bad situation can end up having positive consequences down the road. For the Indians, it was a case of their strategy to just survive the regular season helping them in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
The Indians needed to throw several “bullpen games” to get to the end of the regular season after Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar went down with injuries, and when Josh Tomlin was struggling in August. It was a less-than-ideal situation, but the Indians were forced into it.
When Trevor Bauer’s lacerated pinkie began dripping blood onto his jersey, pants and the mound in the first inning, the Indians were as prepared as any team in baseball for what was to come.