Indians Trade Deadline: Grading every trade The Tribe made

The Indians didn’t lose anyone major during the Trade Deadline.

The Cleveland Indians are looking at a funky second-half of the 2021 season. Not only are they finally getting back to full strength, but two pivotal, season-changing series with the White Sox loom ahead. While some may get upset that the Tribe opted to part ways with a few veteran pieces, it’s not like they were that important to the greater scheme of things. Plus, some of the guys brought back in the deals aren’t shabby at all.

The team will rebound and recover because that’s what they do, but they’ll be doing it without Terry Francona. Francona needs two surgeries on his legs, a less invasive one on his foot where a rod will be inserted, and another, more invasive one, where they’ll replace his hip. The reason why Francona is missing so much time is because he’ll need to heal completely from the hip replacement first before they’ll be able to fix his foot. So the Indians will be led by DeMarlo Hale in the interim.

Hale and Francona go way back to their days in Boston. It’s possible he was brought in this year because the Tribe knew this could happen.

The Indians aren’t dead in the water yet and will get a good look at guys like Owen Miller going forward. If guys like Miller can produce and put the past woes behind him, the Tribe may be able to get back into things. The trades not only opening up slots to give guys a shot but they’ll also help replenish a minor league system that, at least at the top level, has taken a beating in recent months.

So let’s get to it and grade each trade.