The Indians have designated lefty Ryan Merritt for assignment, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports on Twitter. He had been on the 60-day disabled list owing to knee and arm issues.
Cleveland manager Terry Francona explained that, while Merritt is back at full health, he’s showing diminished velocity. The club evidently decided against activating the out-of-options hurler.
Merritt, 26, has only allowed six earned runs in 31 2/3 career MLB innings and gave the Indians a sparkling ALCS outing in 2016. Despite exhibiting impeccable control, though, Merritt only has managed 3.7 K/9 in the majors.
On a rehab assignment this year, Merritt took the ball for 26 innings over six starts at Triple-A. While he recorded a 20:1 K/BB ratio, he also coughed up 42 hits and six long balls en route to a 5.88 ERA.
To Baltimore for Andrew Jones
Adam Jones
Would rather have Andrew.
Makes sense sad to see Merritt go though.
#ALAVILA
Orioles can get more for Jones than a guy with diminished velocity getting lit up in AAA.
Probably not. He hasn’t been good for s couple years.
your nuts. yes Jones isn’t the 25hr guy but he’s a starting OF. that alone would net more than Merritt now. Last year different story perhaps.
He is worth -0.1 WAR and is below average with a 99 WRC, he’s not exactly lighting it up this year either.
He is as steady as they come when u play him everyday you know you will get at least a .270 avg with 25 hrs and 80 rbis
YourPriceIsWrong, the different story is he’s a negative contribution at an expensive salary. Maybe Cleveland can revive him and maybe Baltimore gets Merritt back to where he can be. If so you have a controllable young lefty in a rebuild while dumping a lot of salary.
He’s overcoming injury and will be in a MLB rotation come spring. Jones is an expensive short term rental with diminished abilities, a true salary dump.
I honestly hope we can retain him.
Cincinnati can use him as a spot starter
Padres
I doubt he gets to the Padres on waivers. But if you’re thinking that they swing a trade including him, that’s a possibility. There has been rumors that all of Hand, Yates, Stammen could be options for Cleveland to improve their bullpen. If they want to add a right handed power bat for the outfield I can see them having interest in Renfroe.
Merritt would obviously have to be a piece in part of a larger deal but I could see the idea on the surface.
I think they’ll regret this if someone claims him. Even with diminished velocity he could a) regain it or b) use that and try to become more of a precision guy. Either way I feel that he’ll make his way onto a team’s roster and do pretty well.
The mere fact that he was given a playoff start at the age of 24 with very little major league experience shows you he deserves a team to take a flier on him. He impressed Tito enough to command the ball on a stage like the playoffs, that is saying something in itself.
Their hand was forced because his time for rehabilitation was maxed out. In an ideal world, they probably hang onto him a bit longer
I don’t think it’s out of the question that he clears waivers, but if not then it’ll be sad to see him go.
The pessimistic side of me sees a left-handed Donn Roach, but the optimistic side of me sees a guy who never needed velocity to pitch well and a guy who gave them a much-needed solid start in the ALCS a few years ago. Either way, best of luck to him.
Ryan Merritt made some key starts last season and his performance definitely contributed to the Tribe’s success.
Doesn’t Seattle need a starter? Trade time?
They’d probably just get cash for him, so at that point I’d rather just see if he clears waivers
I don’t see Merritt clearing waivers. Horrible shame he’s out of options because I really thought he could help solve that bullpen mess once activated. I think if he spends the rest of the season on someone’s AAA roster he’ll regain his velocity and effectiveness and crack the ML rotation next year.
Merritt’s posted some nice numbers with the Indians, but unfortunately options got the better of this sweet situation they had going where he could shine it spot starts. Think he would make a nice long-term option for a team, and if healthy he can probably crack a rebuilding squad’s (ie CIN or SDP) rotation next year.