Indians Announce Starting Rotation Heading into 2016 Season

There was plenty of speculation as to how the Indians back end of the rotation would look going into opening day on Monday, and now it’s official.

The team today announced that both Cody Anderson and Josh Tomlin will be starters, and that Trevor Bauer will start the season where he ended 2015, that is in the bullpen.

#Indians starting rotation is set: 1. Kluber 2. Carrasco 3. Salazar 4. Anderson 5. Tomlin (Bauer headed to bullpen)

— Nick Camino (@NickCaminoWTAM) March 30, 2016

It was felt that the team might send Anderson to AAA, and use Tomlin, who got an offseason contract extension, as the 5th starter, with Bauer being the 4th in the rotation.

All three pitchers threw well this spring, with Bauer going 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in four starts, throwing in five games total.

Tomlin was 1-0 with a 4.67 ERA, starting four games this spring, pitching in six. Anderson was 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA, starting four games and pitching in five.

Anderson came on last season and was solid in the latter half of the year, going 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA, throwing 91.1 innings for the Tribe.

Tomlin was 7-2 with a 3.02 ERA, throwing 65.2 innings for the Indians.

Bauer was placed in the rotation last September after he struggled, at one point last season allowing 26 runs in last 30.2 innings with a 7.63 ERA.