2016 ALCS: Who Is Game 5 Starter Ryan Merritt?
The Cleveland Indians will turn Game 5 of the 2016 ALCS over to Ryan Merritt. Here’s what you need to know about the rookie.
The Cleveland Indians injury plagued starting rotation is a shell of its former self. Holding a 3-1 lead in the 2016 ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays, and with no reasonable alternative, manager Terry Francona is forced to start rookie left hander Ryan Merritt in Wednesday’s pivotal Game 5.
The name may sound vaguely familiar to the casual fan. The 24-year-old Merritt made his MLB debut May 30 against the Texas Rangers, tossing 4 1/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball in relief. His first (and only) career start came Sept. 30 against the Kansas City Royals. The rookie southpaw picked up his first MLB win, throwing 62 pitches over five innings, allowing one earned run on three hits and walking none.
Heading into the biggest start of his young career, Merritt has pitched just 11 innings at the big league level. The Texas native has faced a total of just 37 MLB hitters. Labeling Merritt as “inexperienced” heading into a hostile postseason environment is putting it mildly.
According to MLB Pipeline, Merritt is the Cleveland Indians 29th ranked prospect. He was selected in the 16th round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas.
Merritt began his ascension through the Indians farm system in 2014, after posting a 13-3 record with a 2.58 ERA and 0.95 WHIP at Class A Advanced Carolina in 2014. He then began his 2015 campaign with Double-A Akron, before being called up to Triple-A Columbus for five starts at season’s end. In 27 combined starts with Akron and Columbus, Merritt went 12-7 with a 3.63 ERA and an impressive 1.20 WHIP in 2015. Before his MLB debut this season, Merritt compiled an 11-8 record at Columbus with a 3.70 ERA and 1.25 WHIP.
He holds four pitches in his arsenal: an upper-80s fastball, curveball, slider and changeup- his strongest pitch, according to MLB Pipeline. No one will ever confuse Merritt for Clayton Kershaw. He pitches to contact, as his career average of 6.19 strikeouts per nine innings would suggest. Merritt has displayed excellent command during his professional career, walking only 108 batters in 684 1/3 career Minor League innings.
The most accurate MLB comparison for Merritt would be Indians starter Josh Tomlin. Like Tomlin, Merritt’s ability to stay in the strike zone and limit walks is his biggest strength. If he is to have any success against the Blue Jays lineup, his exceptional command must be on full display.
During his 24 starts at Columbus this season, Merritt struggled against right-handed hitting. Righties hit .291 against the southpaw, compared to just .250 from the opposite side of the plate.
Why is this particularly concerning against the Blue Jays? Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion, Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin were the Jays one-through-five batters during Game 4. They all hit from the right side.
The always vocal Bautista didn’t hold back when discussing Merritt after Monday’s 5-1 victory over the Indians.
Jose Bautista on Ryan Merritt: "With our experience in our lineup I'm pretty sure he's going to be shaking in his boots more than we are."
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) October 19, 2016
Bautista may be right, but it’s difficult to acknowledge mind games from a guy hitting just .071 (1-14) in the series.
Wednesday’s matchup won’t be easy for Merritt, but what has been for the Cleveland Indians this postseason? A dominant outing by the rookie would be a poetic ending to a pennant run filled with adversity. If Trevor Bauer didn’t slice his pinkie playing with his drone, Merritt wouldn’t even be on the postseason roster.
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The Indians have defied all logic during their improbable pennant chase. Clinching the ALCS at the Rogers Centre with Merritt on the bump is only fitting.