Cleveland Indians: 6 moves Tribe should make to win World Series in 2020

5. Put Carrasco in the pen

There’s reason to remain skeptical of the unit’s future. In a day  and age where everyone throws 97 out of the pen, the Tribe featured many “soft throwers.”

It worked, more or less this season, as the Indians’ bullpen had one of the lower ERAs in the league, however, you can’t bank on the status quo holding in 2020.

Putting Carlos Carrasco in the bullpen may seem like a slight, but I don’t look at it that way. Moving him permanently to the pen could make a star out the veteran right-hander.

By moving Carrasco to the pen, the Tribe will have an arm in the pen capable of throwing more than two pitches.

The emergence of Cleveland’s young pitchers allow them to make this move. If Cookie goes to the pen, Francona can build a rotation around Kluber, Clevinger, Bieber and then Zach Please, Aaron Civale or Adam Plutko.

Additionally, with Brand Hand being a question mark, the bullpen is even more starved for talent. Hand missed a good chunk of time toward the end of the season with a tired arm. He may bounce back, he may not.

Carrasco ensures you’ve got someone you can groom for the late innings in case Hand falters.

We’re all rooting for Cookie in his recovery, and if he starts, great. I know he’ll be terrific there, too. I think the pen needs him more though, so that’s why moving him to the pen is the better option.