Merritt is competing with Josh Tomlin for the final spot in the Indians' rotation, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Merritt was viewed as a long shot entering camp, and perhaps he still is, but Danny Salazar's shoulder injury has improved his odds. A 16th-round pick in 2011, Merritt has struck out all of 13 batters in 31.2 innings at the big-league level and has averaged just 6.2 K/9 on the farm, but his ability to limit walks has helped him post a sub-3.50 ERA at virtually every stop. Chances are, Merritt will at least make some spot starts over the course of the 2018 season while also seeing some work out of the bullpen.