Cleveland Indians have goods for Red Sox, Andrew Benintendi trade

The Cleveland Indians have the goods to trade for Boston’s Andrew Benintendi

The Cleveland Indians should be talking to the Red Sox about a trade for Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi–and they certainly need some help after the Francisco Lindor deal.

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden tweeted that Boston is talking to teams and listening to offers, hoping to get prospects in return. In particularly, the Red Sox are looking for pitching and outfield prospects.

The Indians are strong in the arm game, developing talent and becoming the envy of the league.

The Tribe certainly has the goods to get a deal done, but they’ve got to get it on their terms because while Benintendi should be an improvement to the Tribe’s outfield, his stock is down.

He was a dismal 4-of-39 in 2020 before injuring his rip cage and missing most of the truncated campaign.

In 2018, he was solid, batting .290 (.830 OPS) with 16 home, 87 RBIs, runs and 41 doubles. However, he started to tail off in 2019, batting .266 (.774 OPS) with 13 homers. He also struck out a career high 140 times in 615 plate appearances.

Benintendi wil make $6.6 million in 2021 and has another year of arbitration before he’s a free agent in 2023.

If Boston is looking for big-league ready talent, the Tribe has Scott Moss, Joey Cantillo, Adam Plutko and Eli Morgan in its pocket. Don’t sleep on Morgan, Baseball America’s rated him as having the best control in the Tribe’s farm system.

I know Bowden didn’t say Boston was interested, but if I’m Cleveland, I’d gauge Boston’s interest in middle infield prospects.

It’s a prospect group that’s starting to accumulate, as the Tribe has accumulated three shortstops in its last two trades. Amed Rosario was the Mets starting shortstop until Andres Gimenez permanently took over in September. Gariel Arias, the Padres No. 7 prospect at the time, was the centerpiece of the Clevinger trade.

I haven’t even gotten to Tyler Freeman and Brayan Rocchio. Needless to say, the Indians are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to one of the most important defensive positions on the field.

I’d be hesitant to deal some of the names listed, but the point is the Indians have built the depth of the farm up to the point where they should be able to easily get a trade like this done.