NEW YORK -- Major League teams will have the ability to expand their active rosters on Friday, but that does not help the Indians at the moment. With a rainout on Tuesday against the Yankees, Cleveland is now facing a pair of doubleheaders in a span of three days.
The Indians will face the Yankees in a straight doubleheader, beginning at 1:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. Then, following a scheduled off-day on Thursday, the Tribe will head to Detroit for a split doubleheader against the Tigers on Friday at Comerica Park.
Will that be a strain on Cleveland's pitching staff?
"We'll tell you after it's over," Indians manager Terry Francona said after Tuesday's game was postponed. "We're going to try to space out the guys a little bit. I'd rather not everybody play all four, just because I don't think that makes much sense. But we'll see how it goes. I'm glad we have the day off [Thursday]. I think that will really help. And we didn't stay here real long today, so that helps, too."
Tuesday's scheduled starter, right-hander Trevor Bauer, will take the ball for the Tribe in Game 1 on Wednesday, opposite Yankees lefty Jaime Garcia. Left-hander Ryan Merritt will be called up from Triple-A Columbus to face lefty Jordan Montgomery in Game 2. For Friday's twin bill in Detroit, right-handers Carlos Carrasco and Mike Clevinger are tentatively scheduled to start the first and second game, respectively.
Righty Josh Tomlin was originally slated to start on Wednesday, but the Indians will keep him on the 10-day disabled list for one more game. Then, depending on how the bullpen is used on Wednesday, Tomlin can return to start one of the Friday games in Detroit or be held out until Sunday's tilt against the Tigers. Ace Corey Kluber is currently lined up to start against Detroit on Saturday.
Merritt will be recalled from Triple-A on Wednesday to take the roster spot vacated by reliever Dan Otero, who is going to be placed on the MLB paternity list, as his wife recently had a baby. Reliever Shawn Armstrong will also be called up on Wednesday to serve as the 26th man for Game 2 against the Yankees.
Helping matters is the fact that the Indians will be able to add reinforcements on Friday, when active rosters expand to 40 players. Otero is also planning on rejoining the Indians' bullpen for the series in Detroit.
"There will be a couple [additions] for the doubleheader," Francona said, "because we don't want to get caught short. We're trying to make sure we dont ever get caught short, and not have too many guys sitting around. So we'll have some on [Friday] and then on [Sept. 5], when their season's over."