Indians sign Belisle to Minors deal By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians have one job open in their bullpen and have thrown another interesting arm into the competition. On Sunday, Cleveland signed right-hander Matt Belisle to a Minor League contract that includes an invitation to attend Spring Training with the big league club. The signing comes after the Indians added reliever Carlos Torres to the fold on the same type of contract on Thursday. Belisle, 37, turned in a 4.03 ERA with a career-best strikeout rate (8.1 per nine innings) in 62 appearances last season for the Twins. In 60 1/3 innings, the righty struck out 54, walked 22 and picked up nine saves in 11 opportunities. Over the final three months of the season, Belisle spun a 1.50 ERA with a .458 opponents' OPS in 30 innings. As things currently stand, Cleveland's bullpen projects to include closer Cody Allen and relief ace Andrew Miller, along with Dan Otero, Zach McAllister, Nick Goody and Tyler Olson. That leaves one job opening, if manager Terry Francona starts the season with a traditional seven- man 'pen. Merritt has work to do to crack talented staff By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Ryan Merritt does not need to dissect the Indians' depth chart to understand the uphill battle he is facing this spring. The lefty only needs to look around the room. Across the clubhouse from Merritt's locker is the stall belonging to ace Corey Kluber, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, and those of Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. Along the adjacent wall are veteran Josh Tomlin, the hard-throwing Danny Salazar and up- and-comer Mike Clevinger. Merritt is trying to make a reservation at a table that has been booked months in advance. "I'm really not going to get caught up in what's going to happen a month from now," Merritt said. "I can control today. And, when I show up tomorrow, I can control what I do that day." The wrinkle in Merritt's situation is the fact that he is out of Minor League options. So, not only is there no room in the rotation at the moment, but Cleveland is unable to send Merritt to Triple-A Columbus without first exposing him to waivers. That would put the lefty up for grabs to other teams who might see a fit for him on their pitching staff. Losing Merritt would rob Cleveland of a valuable depth arm. So, the Indians will have a decision to make as Spring Training progresses. Cleveland will keep stretching Merritt out as a starter so he can keep his next-man-up status in the event of any rotation setbacks. Already, Salazar is playing catch-up due to a right shoulder issue. At the end of camp, if the Tribe's rotation is healthy and intact, the Indians could consider stashing Merritt in their bullpen. As it stands, there is currently one vacancy in the relief corps. The catch there is that manager Francona typically likes to have a reliever with options on the staff to help with in-season roster maneuvering. "I don't think it's going to come down to how he's throwing the ball," Francona said. "I think it'll be more of how we're situated. Keeping the other starter, knowing that we're a little bit thin in starting after our guys is important. Do we think it's realistic that we can keep him? Things like that, we'll have to take into consideration." More than anyone inside Cleveland's locker room, Merritt knows how swiftly things can change. Two years ago, Merritt appeared in four games down the stretch for the Indians, but then he retreated to Arizona while the team played on into October. Cleveland was already short Carrasco and Salazar due to injuries in those playoffs, and then Bauer sustained his famous drone- related laceration on his pitching hand. Just like that, Francona and the front office were scrambling for a solution. Instead of mapping out his offseason, Merritt was flown to Toronto, where he was walked into a packed news conference, and was introduced as the Game 5 starter for the Indians in the AL Championship Series. The wide-eyed rookie was more nervous in front of the media than he was when he took the mound, though. Inside a raucous Rogers Centre, Merritt pitched brilliantly, helping beat the Blue Jays to punch the Tribe's ticket to the World Series. "After you experience something like that," he said, "'you know that anything can happen at any point." So, Merritt will continue to get in his daily work, logging bullpen sessions and quietly turning in clean innings like the one he did against the Reds in Friday's Cactus League opener. The lefty hopes to stay with Cleveland, but also knows that another team might be intrigued by the 1.71 ERA he has fashioned in 31 2/3 career innings in the big leagues. "I just need to go out there, be myself, compete, try to get better, keep trying to impress," Merritt said. "And then, at the end of the day, if I'm in the bullpen, a starter, or with another team, whatever it is, I'm trying to help my team win. ... I've built so many great memories, so many great friends, here. To stay here with the Indians would mean so much to me." Yandy to focus on playing third exclusively By Jordan Bastian MLB.com @MLBastian SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Yandy Diaz bounced between third base and the outfield during Spring Training last year, and was deemed an unfinished product defensively. His performance in the batter's box is what forced the Indians' hand, leading to a spot on the Opening Day roster. This spring, Indians manager Terry Francona wants to avoid moving Diaz around. During Saturday's 11-2 win over the D-backs, Diaz got the start at third base, and that is the position he will focus on in Cactus League play. Diaz is blocked by All-Star Jose Ramirez at the hot corner right now, but Francona wants to do what he feels is right for the player's future. View Full Game Coverage "When the guy shows the ability with the bat that he did," Francona said, "he was kind of the obvious candidate to kind of move around a little bit, because we thought he could help us. I do think it was hard on his development. He was trying to master one position, let alone two or three. So, I do think it'll help." Francona also noted that Diaz is also only recently recovered from a sports hernia that he sustained during winter ball. "We just felt like, 'Let's simplify it a little bit,'" Francona said of the plan for Diaz. Last spring, Diaz hit .458 (22-for-48) with 34 total bases and a 1.252 OPS in 20 Cactus League games for the Tribe. In 49 games for Cleveland in '17, Diaz was inconsistent. He turned in a .263/.352/.327 slash line in 156 at-bats. He started 37 games at third, three in left field and served as the designated hitter five times. Francona felt Diaz held his own at third. "He had a game or two in the outfield that was a little rough," Francona said. "But, I thought he played like an average Major League third baseman, which is plenty good." Worth noting • Francona enjoys having players whose success stories give examples for other players. One case is left-hander Tyler Olson, who went to Triple-A Columbus after a solid showing last spring, and appeared blocked by veterans Andrew Miller and Boone Logan. By the second half, an injury to Logan opened the door for Olson, who turned in a 0.00 ERA in 30 appearances for Cleveland. "He had a really good spring last year," Francona said. "That's what we tell them: 'Do the best you can. Embrace being a part of what we're doing. Compete. And, it might not be on your timetable, but if you can really help, you'll get your chance.' And he's the perfect example." • Tyler Naquin is a center fielder by trade, but Bradley Zimmer is primed to open this season at that spot for the Tribe. Under the circumstances, and with outfield jobs up for grabs, Francona plans on giving Naquin time at all three outfield spots this spring. Naquin started in left field in Saturday's game against the D-backs and hit a two-run home run. "We're going to put him at all three," Francona said. "You'd just hate for a guy to come down to the end and us have to make a decision based on, 'Oh man, we didn't play him there.' That would be bad, in my opinion." • Second baseman Jason Kipnis, who was dealing with lower-back tightness in recent days, hit during live batting practice on Saturday. Francona indicated that, barring any setbacks, Kipnis will make his Spring Training debut on Sunday against the Reds. • Francona said there is nothing new regarding right-hander Danny Salazar, who is working his way back from right shoulder inflammation. Salazar continues to work through the flat-ground portion of his throwing program, building up to long toss. Up next Right-hander Trevor Bauer is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut on Sunday, when the Indians take on the Reds in a 3:05 p.m.