Playoff flop stings Indians

AL Central champs will have a different look next spring

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

For the third year in a row, the unmistakable aroma of champagne wafted into the hallway outside the visitor’s clubhouse following the final game at Progressive Field.

On the Cleveland side, the smell was sour.

The Indians were built for one goal: to win their first World Series since 1948. Yet after cruising to a third straight AL Central title, they couldn’t get past the first round.

October rejects again.

“We had a good year,” said pitcher Trevor Bauer, whose shift from the starting rotation to the bullpen for the postseason maybe best summed up Cleveland’s unsatisfying, disjointed season. “We definitely could have gone further. We had a lot of talent here and it didn’t go our way.”

Nothing went Cleveland’s way. But beyond being swept by the impressive Houston Astros, who were superior at every level, the Indians barely put up a fight.

Postseason push-overs.

The Indians were so close in 2016, when they took the Chicago Cubs into extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series. Now they’ve lost six straight playoff games since opening a 2-0 lead in last year’s ALDS against the Yankees.

Other than All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who batted .364 and homered twice, the top of Cleveland’s lineup bordered on embarrassing. Michael Brantley, Jose Ramirez, Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson hit a combined .095 (4 of 42) with two RBIs, zero extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts.

Cleveland’s pitching wasn’t much better. Ace Corey Kluber had his second straight puzzling postseason as the 20-game winner didn’t look like himself in Game 1. The bullpen, a mess for months, completely collapsed in Game 3 after Bauer’s two throwing errors in the seventh inning opened the flood gates for Houston’s 11-3 rout.

There are numerous reasons why the Indians aren’t moving on, but the team’s failure to address the bullpen’s issues, which began when Bryan Shaw and Joe Smith weren’t re-signed last winter, is at the top of the list.

Because Andrew Miller, Cody Allen and Co. couldn’t be counted on, manager Terry Francona moved Bauer, arguably the team’s best starter who was on his way to a possible Cy Young when a line drive broke his leg in August, into a relief role.

The decision backfired, and while it’s easy to second-guess Francona following the Indians’ early exit, Bauer wasn’t comfortable in his role.

Looking ahead, the Indians should stay atop their division. But that’s no longer enough.

Cleveland will return one of baseball’s best starting staffs in Kluber, Bauer, Carlos Carrasco and Mike Clevinger, the first foursome in baseball history to reach 200 strikeouts apiece. The bullpen, though, will likely look very different with Miller, Allen and Oliver Perez eligible for free agency.