Indians designate struggling OF Martin for assignment

Reuters

The Cleveland Indians designated outfielder Leonys Martin for assignment Saturday and called up right-hander Aaron Civale from Triple-A Columbus.

Martin, 31, is batting just .199 with nine homers and 19 RBIs in 65 games this season.

Civale, 24, was set to make his major league debut when he starts Saturday afternoon's game against the visiting Detroit Tigers.

After stints with the Texas Rangers (2011-15), Seattle Mariners (2016-17), Chicago Cubs (2017) and Detroit Tigers (2018), Martin joined the Indians in a July 2018 trade with the Tigers.

He appeared in only six games for Cleveland in 2018 and missed the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with a life-threatening bacterial infection in August.

Martin has appeared in 770 career games, batting .244 with 58 homers, 228 RBIs and 126 stolen bases.

Civale, a third-round draft pick by the Indians in 2016, is 5-0 with a 2.85 ERA in seven starts this season between Double-A Akron and Columbus.

--Field Level Media