The Indians have optioned outfielder Greg Allen to Triple-A, according to Mandy Bell of MLB.com. To take Allen’s place on the active roster, the team has recalled outfielder Jordan Luplow.
It’s been an abysmal start to the season for Allen, 26, who finds himself mired in a slump to the tune of a .325 OPS, having struck out 14 times in 42 plate appearances and walking just twice. His struggles have compounded the Tribe’s outfield problem, which has lacked for production outside of Leonys Martin. It’s an unfortunate turn for Allen, who flashed potential in 91 games with the Indians last year. However, a ballclub that intends to win games cannot afford to continue giving plate appearances to a struggling young player in hopes that he breaks out of a slump. Allen will be given ample opportunity in Columbus to right himself and return to form with hopes that he can contribute to a playoff team later in the season.
The Indians will turn to Luplow in hopes that he will offer a boon to their faltering outfield. Luplow represents a right-handed option for an Indians outfield that features Martin, Jake Bauers, Tyler Naquin, and Carlos Gonzalez—all left-handed hitters. While Luplow started slow with the Major League club and was quickly optioned to the minors, he only received 17 MLB plate appearances before the demotion and has dominated Triple-A pitching since then. Though he boasts an impressive minor-league track record, he has thus far failed to put it together at the Major League level, though inconsistent playing time may in part be to blame: he has only received 207 scattered PAs between Pittsburgh and Cleveland since debuting in 2017.
Damn what does Mercado have to do to get a call up? You’d think he was the perfect replacement for allen’s Loss of speed.
Don’t want to bring him up for spot duty like Allen was getting, not worth it. Keep raking at AAA until a starting spot is waiting for him.
I don’t know why ABS wouldn’t be available. Naquin has been bad. Cargo hasn’t been great and Hanley got DFA’d. There should be some ABS for Mercado if they wanted to. This offense is pretty rough. They could use another RH bat on this team also. Luplow obviously is RH but I don’t see why they couldn’t play Mercado.
Mark this day on the calendar, because for once I agree with jbigz12.
Everybody finds some common ground eventually. We’ll end up on opposing sides next time. Glad we see eye to eye on something nonetheless.
indians should give the padres a call about franmil or hunter renfroe before one of the breaks through. Just my 2 cents.
Hunter Renfro is on a tear.
Cleveland does not have the starter to spare that the Padres need with Clevinger, Plutko, Salazar, and McKenzie hurt. Neither Renfroe and Reyes excite me as a Indian fan. Both are weak defensively. The Indians will go through all of their options before trading for an outfielder. It won’t happen anytime soon.
As long as Francona is the manager, the vets will get first dibs. My choice would have been Mercado.
Mine too. I agree that he should only be brought up if there’s a starting role for him, but I also think it would have been pretty simple to make room.
He could play every day in right, while Bauers could DH or play left, and Naquin/Luplow could split up at bats at the other spot. Either way, he’s been on fire lately, and I think he’s pretty close to ready.
I agree Naquin should lose ABS first but I think he could steal some ABS from Cargo as well. He really hasn’t been ripping the baseball up. Mostly been hitting singles. And let’s be honest this team doesn’t have the offensive firepower to outslug teams. Francona could use a guy like Mercado for hit and runs and such because they’re going to be a team that needs to manufacture runs. In my opinion anyway.
Yea just send down one guy who can’t hit and call up another one
Now, if only they could option Kipnis…..and Plawecki.