Indians' Mike Clevinger: Not in mix for bullpen role

Manager Terry Francona says Clevinger is not in the mix for a bullpen role and that his development as a starter is more important, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

Analysis:

Francona previously stated that Clevinger was a candidate for the bullpen, but more likely to open 2017 as a starter with Triple-A Columbus. Nonetheless, it appears the 26-year-old righty will be exclusively developed as a starter this spring and serve as rotation depth going forward. Cleveland has a strong rotation heading into the season, but any injury could open the door for Clevinger, who went 1-3 with a 5.93 ERA in ten major league starts last year.