Merritt was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday.
A spot on the active roster needed to be cleared so that Danny Salazar could return from the disabled list Saturday, and Merritt wound up being the casualty. The 25-year-old only appeared once during his most recent cup of coffee in Cleveland, tallying a scoreless inning Friday evening. He'll continue to stretch out as a starter in the minors, but could be back in the majors soon if more bullpen help is needed.