Who Plays CF to Kickoff the Season for the Indians Remains a Mystery – Sports Illustrated

The Indians have had plenty of time to figure out what nine players are worthy of being in the team's starting lineup come next week at Comerica Park in Detroit.

For the most part, the lineup is set and ready. The club hasn't announced who is going to play first base (my guess is Bobby Bradley), but other than that the infield is pretty well good to go.

You've got Cesar Hernandez, who inked another one-year deal with the Tribe, playing second, Andres Gimenez at short, Jose Ramirez at third and Roberto Perez behind the plate.

Franmil Reyes, who is expected to hit 40+ homers in 2021, will DH, and two of the outfielders look like it will be Eddie Rosario (okay that one is a lock) and Josh Naylor, who did enough late last year and in camp to earn a spot in a corner outfield spot.

That leaves center field, a position that suddenly is completely vacant with the regular season closing in.

The team made the decision to send down Oscar Mercado on Sunday, which means he's out to start the season in center, and it seems we are down to three to who starts at the important spot.

The three candidates are Bradley Zimmer, Amed Rosario and Ben Gamel.

Zimmer is a player who has shown flashes, but has suffered two things that have ended plenty of Major League careers - injuries and inconsistency.

Last year in 20 games with the MLB Indians Zimmer hit just .162 with one homer and three RBI.

He's only played 100 games or more once in his career, and that was his rookie season of 2017 when he played in 101 games.

Rosario was one of the chips in the trade that sent SS Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets.

This is a stretch to put him in the lineup as the starting center fielder. He's never played the position and last week when he started a game in center he committed three errors, looking like MLB's version of the 'Bad News Bears.'

Listed as a shortstop, it remains to be seen if they truly think Rosario can play in center for any amount of games.

Rosario last season in 46 games hit .252 with four homers and 15 RBI.

Finally there is Ben Gamel, who came to the Indians from Milwaukee as a free agent spring training invite.

The 28-year-old last season hit ,237 with three homers and 10 RBI in 40 games.

Gamel hasn't played a ton in center, starting in just 37 games in center over the last three seasons, two with the Brewers and one in Seattle.

It's a stretch to think that he's suddenly going to hit .300 and play flawless in center, but it could come down to the journeyman getting the role because of the three he's the best option.

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Who Plays CF to Kickoff the Season for the Indians Remains a Mystery - Sports Illustrated