Merritt is 2-1 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.78 WHIP through four starts this season at Triple-A Columbus.
Command, Merritt's most valuable asset, has gone awry at the beginning of 2017. Despite his 2-1 record, Merritt is averaging 3.8 BB/9, more than double his average over six-plus MiLB seasons. Opponents have mustered 29 hits in 21.1 innings against the Clippers' starter, leading to an ugly .333 BAA. Despite playing hero for a day in the Tribe's ALCS Game 5 victory last year, the soft-throwing lefty obviously has some kinks in the armor that he'll need to work out before toeing a major-league rubber.