Factory Of Sadness
FanSided

Cleveland Indians: 3 2018 MLB trade deadline predictions

By Ryan Rosko

BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 22: A Cleveland Indians cap and glove are shown on the field before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on May 22, 2014 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 22: A Cleveland Indians cap and glove are shown on the field before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on May 22, 2014 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
TORONTO, ON – JULY 21: Jonathan Schoop #6 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a single in the first inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 21, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JULY 21: Jonathan Schoop #6 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a single in the first inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 21, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Missed on Machado but gets Schoop

Cleveland cannot get someone to simply take Jason Kipnis off their hands yet and are unwilling to pay most if not all the money left on his deal. However, the Indians do upgrade 2B by trading for Baltimore Orioles’ Jonathan Schoop. The O’s talented infielder is signed through 2018 while being arbitration eligible in 2019.

Schoop has been impressive of late and as a result, may not be the easiest of O’s to be dealt for. They could be swayed to wait but in this scenario, Baltimore chooses to continue to clean house.

To add Schoop, Cleveland gives up pitching prospect Alex Royalty and shortstop prospect Ernie Clement. Royalty is with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (class A short) at the moment, where he is 1-0 with a 1.83 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 19 2/3 innings.

Clement is the Indians’ 24th ranked prospect per MLB.com. So far this season, Clement, who has spent time with Lake County and Lynchburg in 2018, has accumulated a slash line of .292/.366/.375/.741.

2016 and 2017 seasons were Schoop’s best years of his career to date. During that time, he combined for 57 homers and 187 RBI.

In 2018, Schoop’s production is severely diminished but look at who he is playing for. So, far this season, he has 14 homers, 32 RBI, and a slash line of .238/.270/.427/.696. Assuming this is just circumstances playing in Baltimore and his 2018 campaign is just an outlier, looking ahead, Schoop’s production should get back on course.

Home/Cleveland Guardians