Indians: 3 veteran free agents the Tribe should try to sign
By Chad Porto
P Jeff Samardzija
Fun fact, Jeff Samardzija was a better receiver in college than he was a reliever; or starter. Samardzija was former Browns’ quarterback Brady Quinn’s favorite target in college. Samardzija was seen by many as a first or second-round pick but opted to play baseball instead and ended up in the Chicago Cubs organization.
Throughout his career, Samardzija went from reliever to starter and even netted an All-Star Game nod. He’s not a future Hall of Famer by any means but he was mostly a solid starter up until 2020 when injuries mounted and really affected his play.
No one expects him to be an ace or AL Cy Young candidate, but he could be a good fourth or fifth starter if he’s healthy. That’s the big question. Is he healthy? He’s thrown for several teams this winter, showing he can still go, but no one offered him a contract.
The Indians are in a unique position, as he’s someone who has a decent track record and a need for pitching. The problem is they need to avoid trading their young prospects, so going after a banged-up veteran may make more sense.