Justin Masterson is the Ace of the Staff

Justin Masterson’s record, 8-6, is not that impressive, but anyone that has watched him pitch this year knows how dominant he can be. He was on his way to being 9-6, but a rare 9th inning collapse by Chris Perez gave Masterson a no-decision.

Masterson is tied for second in wins on the team with 8, along with Carlos Carrasco, but he is without a doubt the team’s best pitcher.

Masterson has logged the most innings at 136.1, while Tomlin has gone 120.2, and Carrasco has gone 108. Even though he has pitched a few games worth of innings more than Tomlin and Carrasco, his stats are far more impressive.

Tomlin has allowed 54 earned runs, 18 home runs, and has a 4.03 ERA. Carrasco has allowed 51 earned runs, 11 home runs, and has a 4.25 ERA. Masterson, on the other hand, has remarkably only allowed 40 earned runs, 4 home runs, and has a 2.64 ERA.

These numbers are amazing, considering the amount of innings Masterson has pitched this season. The numbers prove why he is the #1 starter on the staff, and why he should be called the “ace”.

Masterson could easily have at least 8 more wins, as he has allowed 2 runs or less in eight of his last nine starts. Four of these games saw Masterson allow zero runs, with only one on these resulting in a win.

The “Big Three” of Masterson, Tomlin, and Carrasco will have to continue pitching well if the Indians are to have any shot at the playoffs. The bullpen is usually lights out, with the exception of Perez’s blown save last night, so a strong outing by the starter can leave the bullpen in position to close out the game.

However, the “Big Three” of the staff is begginning to look like that of the Miami Heat, with Carlos Carrasco resembling Chris Bosh. This comparison is due to the fact that Carrasco has not been performing at the level of the other two, as was with Bosh in Miami in regards to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Carrasco has recorded losses in his last three decisions, with the longest outing of these three being seven innings. He is currently 8-7, and will need to try and regain his early season form in order to help the Indians reach the playoffs.