Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Indians will be changing their name next season, and these three players will not be back either.
After years of building backlash against their nickname, the Cleveland Indians will become known as the Cleveland Guardians in time for the 2022 season. The roster may look far different too.
This year’s Indians are three games below .500 entering Friday (58-61) as the Chicago White Sox have effectively sealed an AL Central title. Even a Wild Card berth, as they’re 9.5 games back of the second spot, looks very unlikely. FanGraphs literally gives the Indians a zero percent chance to make the playoffs right now.
Indians/Guardians ownership is loathe to spend money, so there will certainly be some payroll-driven decisions hoisted on the front office this offseason. On that note, these three players will not be back next season.
3 Cleveland Indians who will not be Cleveland Guardians in 2022
3. RP Blake Parker
Amid a run of poor outings before he was DFA’d by the Minnesota Twins a couple years ago, I gave Parker the nickname “Blow The Lead Blake” and he was actually a bit worse for the Phillies over the rest of that season (5.04 ERA). But he was better last year in Philadelphia (2.81 ERA in 14 appearances) and since the Indians promoted him from Triple-A in June he has been quite good (2.33 ERA in 28 apperances).
Parker was brought in on a minor league deal by the Indians last offseason. If only for the fact he will have major league offers come his way this offseason, he won’t be a member of the Guardians’ bullpen in 2022.