Merritt was transferred from Triple-A Columbus to Low-A Lake County on Monday, potentially putting him in line to join the Indians on Saturday to start one game of a doubleheader with the Twins, Zach Meisel of Cleveland.com reports.
With six games in five days this week, the Indians will likely recall a pitcher from the minors to join the rotation on a temporary basis, and Merritt seems to have emerged as the leading candidate. Merritt is slated to make a tune-up start Monday for Lake County, but the move to the low minors shouldn't be viewed as a demotion; instead, it'll more easily facilitate the left-hander's potential call-up to the big club later in the week. The 25-year-old has been unremarkable for Columbus this season -- a 3.96 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 72.2 innings -- so he probably won't make for an appealing streaming option if he does indeed receive the nod for one game of Saturday's twin bill.