Cleveland Indians trade: Where Jordan Luplow fits with the 2019 Tribe
The Cleveland Indians picked up Jordan Luplow in a trade. I’m worried it will impact the outfield more than one may think.
A Cleveland Indians trade has been anticipated ever since the Tribe was eliminated from the ALDS by the Houston Astros.
The rumor mill’s been working overtime as the Tribe dangles the idea of trading Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer.
So while Tribe fans are waiting for the hot stove to start cooking on high, the Wahoo faithful had to settle for a simmer, instead.
More from Factory of Sadness
- Cleveland Guardians calling Gavin Williams up more than a year after minor league debut
- Kyle Kuzma is not a good fit for the Cleveland Cavaliers
- The Cleveland Browns offensive line is still seen as one of the best in the league
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are rumored to be interested in trading Cedi Osman to get back in the 2023 NBA Draft
- The Cleveland Browns leap up in PFF’s post draft ranking
The Indians acquired outfielder Jordan Luplow and infielder Max Moroff from the Pirates for Erik Gonzalez and right-handed pitchers Tahnaj Thomas and Dante Mendoza.
• Luplow is the player to watch in this trade because he’s ready to play at the big-league level. At first, it seemed as though the Tribe was just replacing Brandon Guyer by acquiring Luplow.
However, Guyer was one dimensional at the dish. When he was acquired in 2016, he was stellar at hitting left-handed pitching–and that was about it. However, by the end off is pact here, he couldn’t even do that well.
• Luplow, a right-handed hitter, hit .273 (.891 OPS) against lefties in 2018 and .292 (.803 OPS( against right handers while at Triple-A.
• The Indians declined Guyer’s $3 million option. A wise move. Luplow looks like his replacement, even though he might have a better shot to fare better against both right-handed and left-handed pitching.
• Ultimately, Luplow just looks like another guy in an outfield full of, well, guys. Now, the Indians will have to cover three outfield spots with Leonys Martin, Gregg Allen, (probably) Jason Kipnis, Tyler Naquin and Bradley Zimmer (when healthy). There’s also Oscar Mercado, an outfield prospect the Indians picked up before the trade deadline.
• I think the Indians will make a trade for someone to get more excited about, but that’s only because I hope they will!
I’m starting to get worried here. Bare with me…
• Kipnis is due $17.5 million next season. The conservative Indians aren’t going to pay for him to ride the pine. If the season starts today, he’d be in left.
You’d argue the Indians could trade him. But ask yourself, if you were a GM, would you want him?
Martin is expected to be healthy, having recovered from an illness that cost him his season after being acquired before the trade deadline. They just bought him out of arbitration by agreeing to a $3 million contract for 2019. At that price, Martin will start in center.
• That could leave right field, likely filled by some combination of Naqin, Allen, and Luplow.
I don’t think the Indians could go into 2019 with this as their outfield situation, but then again, I do think it’s possible.
• The fiscally conservative Indians aren’t in the business of giving away affordable, elite talent, even if there is a minor surplus. Would it surprise anyone if Kluber, Carrasco and Bauer aren’t traded and the Tribe just goes ahead and wins the division behind their stellar starting pitching, and then takes their chances in the postseason?
That’s not to say a deal doesn’t get done at some point in 2019. After all, you never know who will become available. Few ever would’ve predicted Josh Donaldson would be wearing an Indians uniform at the end of 2018.
Unfortunately, this is a reactive approach, and based off the last two postseason appearances, that philosophy won’t float.
Next. Now or never for Indians to extend Linor. dark
I think the Indians will make a deal, but don’t be surprised when they don’t.