Cleveland Indians: 3 players to extend before it’s too late

Three players the Cleveland Indians should consider offer a contract extension to before it’s too late, and free agency becomes too tempting.

Being in small market with owners who are always payroll conscious, the Cleveland Indians always have to be forward thinking when it comes to roster construction.

If the franchise gets a good player, it’s a good bet they’ll be leaving at some point in free agency. Even though the Indians and Lindor are still talking about an extension, Lindor looks poised to be traded before he finishes his deal.

The Indians tried to re-sign the short stop to a mega-extension, but Lindor wisely chose to decline. Now, he’s destined to become one of the top three or four highest paid players in baseball when he finally hits the market.

The Indians had success re-signing Jose Ramirez to a team friendly contract, while also getting bargain years out of Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco. Kluber’s contract only recently became too expensive, which is why the Tribe moved the two-time All-Star, to the dismay of many fans, this offseason.

For the Indians to be competitive, they need to make smart financial decisions, and for the most part, they’ve been able to do so–something that dates back to the Jacobs’ ownership in the early 1990s.

The Indians have been able to keep their window of contention wedged open because of some maneuvering, and while this team isn’t as strong as it has been in recent memory, they should win more than they lose.

Major parts from the 2016, 2017 and 2018 teams are starting to move, whether via trade or free agency, so the Tribe needs to begin thinking of the next wave of talent to hold onto.

These three players should under consideration to receive contract extension as the Tribe roars into the 2020s.