Indians: Looking at all 3 players the team declined options on

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Sep 30, 2020; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Brad Hand (33), center, watches from the dugout after blowing a save in the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Brad Hand

Maybe this is a point of view many don’t share, but personally, trading for relievers is the silliest thing in sports. It’s like trading for a kicker in football. Sure, you need relievers, but relievers are rarely ever good consistently. The ones who end up being closers and never end up being more productive than an everyday pitcher. Trading for Brad Hand at the cost of Francisco Mejia was a mistake, especially when you remember that the Indians had no one to replace Roberto Perez after he went down with an injury.

Dusting off Tim Laker would’ve been a better backup option than what the Indians had.

Hand was a fine closer but he never inspired total confidence the way you’d like a closer to providing. He did start rough but settled into a good grove and was hardly a problem for the rest of the year. Was he worth $10 million a year, however? No. Was he worth a top prospect in Mejia? No.

Can he be replaced with who the Tribe has in the pen for 2021? Absolutely. Guys like James Karinchak would be a great prospect to close out games, while Logan Allen may make for a decent set-up man. That doesn’t mean they’ll be able to slide in and take over the position, but there is plenty of potential at the back end of the pen.

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