The Cleveland Indians signed right handed pitcher Brett Myers to a contract with the intention of using him in the starting rotation. Myers, who has experience starting and relieving, was diagnosed with a UCL tear in April.
Last week Myers attempted a rehab start at Double-A. The 32-year-old felt soreness after the four-plus inning outing and has not thrown since.
The Indians are still hopeful that Myers will be able to rejoin the rotation before long but manager Terry Francona realizes that Myers may be forced to the pen.
“As he comes back, we’d like to let him come back as a starter,” Francona said. “Saying that, I guess if it ever got to the point where we thought he could handle being a reliever, maybe that’s something we would look at, just out of common sense.”
Myers made four starts for the Indians in April. He had an 0-3 record and 8.02 ERA with 12 strikeouts and five walks over 21 1/3 innings.
