The Cleveland Indians added an insurance policy to their relief staff on Saturday, claiming right-handed reliever Diego Moreno off of waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. He was immediately optioned to Triple-A Columbus.
In a corresponding roster move to make room for Moreno on the 40-man roster, the Indians have transferred left-handed reliever Boone Logan to the 60-day disabled list, confirming fears about the extent of his strained lat muscle.
Moreno, a 30-year-old out of Venezuela, was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay on July 27 after the Rays acquired veteran left-hander Dan Jennings from the Chicago White Sox. He had appeared in just five games this season for the Rays, earning a loss while posting a 4.76 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP in five and two-thirds innings. He allowed six hits, walked a pair, and struck out six in his limited work. In eleven games of action at Triple-A Durham, he had earned a 1.10 ERA and a 0.74 WHIP.
He also missed a chunk of time in May and June while dealing with a right shoulder injury. He works primarily with a fastball-changeup combo, but will also throw the slider. He has worked almost exclusively as a reliever in his career.
Moreno made his big league debut in 2015 in his only other season at the MLB level, appearing in four games for the New York Yankees. He was signed in 2006 and developed previously by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who sent him to New York as part of the A.J. Burnett trade in 2012.
“We’re starting to get a little thinner on Major League guys,” said Indians manager Terry Francona prior to Saturday’s game in Chicago with the White Sox. “So it makes sense to add inventory, or however you want to say it.”
Logan’s move to the 60-day disabled list now guarantees his absence from the Tribe roster until at least the third week of September. He had a second opinion on his injury and now has to determine his next course of action, one of which may be to surgically repairing the tear.
In his first season with the Indians, Logan had appeared in 38 games in relief (21 innings) while compiling a 1-0 record, a 4.71 ERA, and a 1.38 WHIP.
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