Indians remove RHP Derek Lowe from rotation, designate him for assignment

The Cleveland Indians designated right-hander Derek Lowe for assignment after Wednesday's loss to the Kansas City Royals. Lowe, 39, is 8-10 with a 5.52 ERA this season and has lost his last four starts.

Lowe's rubber arm and versatility (he has been an All-Star as a starter and a closer) could be enticing to teams looking for another right-hander. But as Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer points out, Lowe has faded significantly in each of the last two seasons, going 4-10 with a 6.20 ERA with the Atlanta Braves after the All-Star break in 2011 and going 2-8 with an 8.28 ERA in his last 13 starts with the Indians.

Lowe is in the final year of a four-year contract that pays him $15 million this season, although the Braves are paying $10 million of that.