Factory Of Sadness
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Indians: 5 former Tribe players the team should bring back to bolster the squad

By Chad Porto

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 07: Brad Miller #17 of the Cleveland Indians jokes with teammates prior to the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field on April 07, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 07: Brad Miller #17 of the Cleveland Indians jokes with teammates prior to the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field on April 07, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 22: Michael Brantley #23 of the Cleveland Indians looks on before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on August 22, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 22: Michael Brantley #23 of the Cleveland Indians looks on before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on August 22, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

Michael Brantley

This is the one that everyone wants to see happen and is arguably the least likely to happen. Despite turning 34-years-old, Michael Brantley is coming off of four-straight years of hitting .299 or better and has recovered from injuries that hampered him in 2016 and 2016. His last full year in the Majors – also his first in Houston – saw him hit .311 with 22 home runs and 90 RBI’s. Brantley has not missed a step as he ages.

His time in Cleveland is long and storied. The Milwaukee Brewers sent him over as the player-to-be-named-later in the C.C. Sabathia trade. A trade surrounded around Matt LaPorta, but quickly became the trade known for the Indians landing Brantley. The four-time All-Star played 10 years in Cleveland, hitting .295 with 87 career home runs, 640 RBI’s, and a Silver Slugger.

He signed a decent deal for two years, worth $15 million per year. With the market in a state of flux due to COVID-19, there’s every real possibility that Brantley is offered one, maybe two-year deals at just half the price. If that’s what ends up happening, then the Indians may be able to afford Brantley, who by all accounts still has a few season’s worth of All-Star production still. His return would also help soothe the fanbase, who either right or wrong, are up in arms over a lot of the decisions made this offseason.

(Update: Re-signed with Houston)

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