McAllister avoided arbitration, signing a one-year, $1.3 million deal with the Indians on Friday, MLB Network's Jon Heyman reports.

EDGE Analysis

It would seem that McAllister's time as a starter is over, after he posted a 2.49 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 65 innings out of the bullpen last season. Given those numbers, this is a bargain for the Indians, and McAllister should find himself in plenty of high-leverage situations in 2016.

McAllister (4-4) did not surrender a hit or earned run in 1.1 innings in a 9-5 victory over the Royals on Saturday. He walked a batter and also tallied a strikeout.

EDGE Analysis

McAllister took over for an ineffective Josh Tomlin to get the final out of the fourth inning, and led a group of four Indians relievers in keeping the Royals hitless the rest of the way. McAllister has scuffled through two bad September outings, surrendering two hits and two earned runs over two-thirds of an inning in each. However, he has otherwise yielded only two hits and no earned runs over 5.2 innings in six other appearances. The 27-year-old has generally been effective out of the bullpen for Cleveland this season, amassing 11 holds and posting a 3.29 ERA that is almost a full point lower than his career 4.23 figure.

McAllister walked a pair during a scoreless 11th inning en route to his first win of the season on Sunday against the Mariners. Cleveland scored a pair of runs in the 12th to secure the victory for the 27-year-old, but he carries little fantasy value at the moment due to his low rank in the Indians' bullpen hierarchy.

McAllister gave up the loss to the White Sox on Monday, giving up a run in the bottom of the 10th inning. McAllister started off the season as a starter for the Indians, and since then has been moved to the bullpen. As a starter, his ERA ballooned to 7.04 through two starts. Since then, he's pushed it down to 3.42. In his past four appearances, he's struck out a combined eight batters in four innings. However, he doesn't come in during save situations and therefore doesn't hold much fantasy value.

McAllister will be replaced in the Indians' rotation by Danny Salazar, who will make the start Saturday. He has a 7.04 ERA through two appearances this year, and despite a well-documented uptick in velocity, McAllister has been ineffective thus far. He will remain with the Indians pitching in long relief.

McAllister came in to relieve starter Carlos Carrasco who left in the first inning Tuesday against the Yankees after taking a comebacker to the jaw. He gave up one run on four hits and a walk with one strikeout in 3.2 innings. Only 26 of McAllister's 50 pitches went for strikes, but the overall outcome was better than in his first start of the season when he was tagged for five runs on 13 hits over four innings. The surprise relief apperance won't affect McAllister's routine, as he was in line to get skipped in the Inidans' rotation with an off day Thursday. Of course, if Carrasco, who has a jaw contusion, cannot make his next start Sunday, McAllister could be moved up to take that spot, but right now he is in line to take the ball Tuesday in Chicago against this same White Sox team.

McAllister was tagged for five runs on 13 hits over four innings by the Tigers in a losing effort Friday. He struck out five and walked one, but the positives pretty much end there for McAllister's outing Friday. His performance, along with that of Danny Salazar at Triple-A, will ultimately determine how the Indians handle their No. 5 starter spot in the coming weeks. As a result of two days off in the schedule during the upcoming week, McAllister may not start again before April 21 when the Indians go on the road to face the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

McAllister has been named to the Indians' starting rotation, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. McAllister was battling alongside T.J. House and Mike Tomlin for the final two spots in the rotation, but it appears Tomlin is the odd man out. McAllister's first start will come on the Indians' home opener, the fourth game of the season.

McAllister allowed two runs on six hits while striking out nine over five innings Saturday. McAllister is fighting with TJ House and Josh Tomlin for one of the two remaining spots in the starting rotation but would start the season in the Cleveland bullpen instead of heading to Triple-A if he's unable to land a rotation spot.

McAllister tossed four innings Monday, allowing an unearned run with four strikeouts. McAllister has impressed this spring in his bid for a spot in the starting rotation but the Indians may decide to stick him in the bullpen to start the season.