Indians add Cabrera & Diaz to roster; Hand & Cimber join club

The Cleveland Indians today announced the following transactions relative to the Major League roster:

July 20th, 2018

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Indians today announced the following transactions relative to the Major League roster:
-- Selected the contract of OF MELKY CABRERA (#53) from AAA Columbus.
-- Recalled INF YANDY DIAZ (#36) from AAA Columbus.
-- Optioned OF GREG ALLEN (dated 7/19), RHP ADAM PLUTKO and LHP TYLER OLSON to AAA Columbus.
-- Added LHP BRAD HAND (#33) and RHP ADAM CIMBER (#90) to Major League roster.
-- Transferred OF LONNIE CHISENHALL from the 10-day to the 60-day Disabled List.
-- LHP MARC RZEPCZYNSKI cleared outright waivers and elected free agency.

Cabrera, 34, begins his second stint with the Major League club in 2018, appearing in 17 games with the Indians from May 20-June 13, prior to being removed from the roster on June 14 and electing free agency. He was re-signed on July 5 and assigned to Triple-A Columbus, hitting .361 (13-for-36) with 2 2B, 1 3B and 4 RBI in 9 games and on the year is batting .321 (25-for-78) with the Clippers in 19 games.
Diaz, 26, has spent the entire 2018 season in Columbus, batting .284 (81-for-285) with 20 2B, 2 HR and 27 RBI in 81 games. His 63 walks are leading the International League at present and for the year he has batted .297 (19-for-64) vs. LHP (.452/.391/.843). Yandy has appeared in 62 games at third base and 10 games at first base for the Clippers.
Hand, 28, was acquired yesterday along with Cimber for C Francisco Mejia. He has split his career between Padres and Miami Marlins, recording 24 saves in 2018 with a 3.05 ERA in 41 relief appearances at the back-end of the S.D. bullpen (44.1IP, 33H, 15ER, 15BB, 65SO, .202 avg). His 24 saves rank tied for third in the National League while his 65 strikeouts rank fourth among N.L. relievers (inherited 15 runners with SD; zero scored)  
Since the beginning of the 2016 season, he owns a 2.66 ERA in 195 games (213.0IP, 150H, 63ER) and his 280 strikeouts in relief over that three-year span rank second in MLB to Dellin Betances' 298.   The Chaska, MN native's 28 outings of at least three strikeouts over that same span rank second among all Major League relievers to Andrew Miller's 36. The two-time N.L. All-Star (2017-18) is under club control thru the conclusion of the 2021 season. He began his professional career in the Marlins organization (2nd round, 2008) and was claimed on waivers by SD in April, 2016.
Cimber, 27, has posted a mark of 3-5 with a 3.17 ERA in 42 relief appearances for San Diego in 2018 (48.1IP, 42H, 17ER, 10BB, 51SO, .237 avg). He owns a 2.16 ERA over 9 July outings (8.1IP, 4H, 2ER, 3BB, 6SO, .143 avg) and for the year has limited right-handed hitters to a .210 (25-for-119) average against. The Puyallup, WA native was San Diego's ninth round pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of San Francisco. He is under club control thru the 2023 season.