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by J.R.
Knuckleball News
Indians announce Ryan Merritt as ALCS Game 4 starter
By Jesse Borek
Posted on October 17, 2016
The Cleveland Indians have announced that left-handed pitcher Ryan Merritt will start Game 4 of the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, with the decision pending the outcome of Monday evening’s Game 3. The Indians had to use only three starters during the team’s sweep of the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS before an extended break while the club then used the same trio for the opening three games against Toronto.
With right-handers Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco out for the season, the Indians have had to find a fourth option for their current series against the Blue Jays. The team had originally listed right-hander Mike Clevinger as a potential starter, but now it appears that Merritt will get the ball on Tuesday instead.
Of course, the last time Merritt pitched was back on Sep. 30 against the Kansas City Royals. That appearance was the 24-year-old’s only big league start to date. Since making his major league debut back on May 30, Merritt has thrown all of 11 innings at the highest level, allowing just two earned runs in 11 innings while walking no opposing batters en route to a 1.64 ERA.
The majority of his 2016 season was spent at Triple-A Columbus where he went 11-8 with a 3.70 ERA in 24 starts. Strikeouts have never quite been his forte as he owns a 5.8 average per nine innings for his career, but not walking the opposition has been. He has managed just 23 walks in 143.1 innings this season, which is right on track with his career average.
A 16th-round pick by the Indians out of McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas during the 2011 MLB Draft, Merritt has consistently moved up the Cleveland minor league ranks by earning double-digit victories for three consecutive seasons.