2017 MLB Trade deadline: One player from each team Cleveland Indians should target
AL East
1. Craig Kimbrel, RP, Boston Red Sox Another contending team makes it hard to pin point a realistic trade option. David Price would look excellent at the top of the rotation. Andrew Benintendi would be an excellent building block in left field who could help right now, but it’s not happening. Taking the same approach as the Nationals, where you put the Red Sox in a down year and try to find a realistic trade option, Craig Kimbrel should be the target. He’s making $13 million, which is a ton for a reliever, but Kimberll is Boston’s closer and his salary reflect that. With that said, he’s been excellent. The six-time All-Star has a team option for the 2018 season, so he wouldn’t necessarily be a rental. The Indians already possess a dominant bullpen. Imagine shortening games to the point that the Terry Francona could turn the game over to Andrew Miller, Kimbrell, and then Cody Allen.
2. C.C. Sabathia, SP, New York Yankees: If the Yankees hadn’t surprised us all by contending prematurely, Sabathia’s name would be involved in trade talks. At the age of 37, Sabathia is 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA. There’s talk that the Yankes might try and re-sign the veteran. However, if the Yankees were looking to sell, Sabathia would be hot item. Sabathia is making $25 million this season, and the Tribe would be on the hook for at least half of that sum. But if you’ll recall, the Indians made a play for free agent Jose Bautista and were willing to pay him $11-$13 million. Additionally, the Yankees are in a place to help pay some of the contract. Alas, New York is giving the postseason a shot, and CC is unlikely to be moved.
3. Zach Britton, RP, Orioles: The possibility of a Kimbrel, Miller and Allen bullpen has already been floated, but Boston won’t trade him. But Baltimore and Zach Britton on the other hand? The idea is very intriguing. When he was healthy, Britton was a beast. He’s working though elbow issues and is back pitching. He’s appeared in 16 games and has six saves.
Britton doesn’t come without risk though, according to NESN.com.
"Britton has walked a tightrope in his first 16 appearances in 2017, so any team trading for him would be gambling that his track record before this season is a better indication of what’s to come. Given that he’s still just 29 years old and his velocity is near its normal level, that’s a reasonable roll of the dice, so long as the acquiring team is willing to absorb what’s left of his $11.4 million salary for this season and the roughly $15 million salary he could earn in arbitration for next season, in addition to whatever (perhaps significant) trade package it’ll take to pry the two-time All-Star away from Baltimore."
With a hurler such as Britton on board, Terry Francona could effectively end games after five innings. Between Miller, Allen and Bryan Shaw, the Indians would be awfully tough to beat.
4. Chris Archer, SP, Tampa Rays: Oh, what could’ve been. Archer was once a Tribe farmhand who was dealt for Mark DeRosa back in 2006. Ugh. If it makes you feel better, know the Cubs then dealt Archer in 2011 for Matt Garza.
Archer is a strikeout machine with 167 strikeouts in 136 innings. The Rays can use team options to keep Archer around through the 2021 season, but will the team be in a position to win by then? The organization might be better off trading Archer while he’s still highly valuable so those prospects can be part of the Rays future heading into the 2020s.
5. Jose Bautista, RF, Blue Jays: The Indians are looking for outfield help and one would think the club likes Bautista based off their run at slugger during the winter of 2017.
Bautista is on a one year deal, and he’d be a nice right-handed addition to the team. Assuming Lonnie Chisenhall continues his career year when he returns from injury, the Tribe would have a very formidable platoon heading into the October.
Bautista is batting just .238 against lefties, but he does have 14 home runs and 11 doubles. Joey Bats really struggles against righties, batting a measly .159 with two homers.
The Blue Jays are faced with a difficult question of whether to start selling off pieces because the club draws well. Trading away the organization’s most popular players certainly won’t be good for the gate. However, former Tribe president and current Toronto boss Mark Shapiro knows what it takes to rebuild.