The Cleveland Indians were off Monday and are off again Thursday after a two-game series at home against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The trade deadline arrives Friday afternoon right before the team is set to begin a crucial series against the division-leading Chicago White Sox.
At this point, we know some deals are going to be made.
That means several players on the roster will be distracted before what is an important series for the team’s chances of contending throughout the rest of the season.
The Two Veterans On Offense
Eddie Rosario and Cesar Hernandez are both prime trade candidates.
Some might say Cesar Hernandez is having a career year in the power department. They are correct.#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/IO0OqdT4Ms
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 25, 2021
Both are on expiring deals and the front office can save a few million dollars by trading one or both.
But the benefits go beyond simply saving money.
Moving Rosario opens up a permanent spot in left field that, while being occupied by several players now, can allow top prospect Nolan Jones to get some time in the majors.
If Hernandez is moved as well, Andres Gimenez can come back up and get another opportunity over the final two months of the season.
The roster shuffling can go in a number of ways, but getting Jones some time at the very least should be a priority.
Others Who May Go
The starting rotation should be safe from any surprise trades.
The bullpen is a different story.
Bryan Shaw and Blake Parker are both on expiring deals, while Nick Wittgren has one year of arbitration remaining.
BRYAN SHAW 😤
Bases loaded… one out… no problem! pic.twitter.com/FDQx2FSqam
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) July 17, 2021
Shaw and Parker are the top candidates, but Wittgren would come with some extra value to any team acquiring him.
For the two veterans, the Indians gave them each a shot to rebound in 2021 and it worked out.
Shaw especially has rejuvenated his career and looks just like he did during his first stint in town.
We have seen James Karinchak‘s name floated in rumors, but that may be like the Jose Ramirez rumors where someone is strictly speculating without any actual basis for the claim.
Trying To Stay Focused
It has to be incredibly difficult to play this week all around MLB with the trade rumors floating about.
However, players go through this every year and trades are not something new to the game.
Anyone on the Indians who is traded would likely go to a contender, which could mean shining in the postseason and earning a nice payday in 2022.
So while being traded is a big change, it could lead to great things when it happens during buying and selling season, as opposed to in the middle of the offseason.
We can safely assume the Indians are going to make some moves.
The question now becomes if they will trade some of the players listed above, or truly go with a blockbuster move.
Leave a Reply