Cleveland Indians: Which Available Third Baseman Is a Fit For Tribe?

Could Ian Desmond Be a Fit?

Another option for the Cleveland Indians could be free agent shortstop Ian Desmond.  As many know, Desmond turned down an extension worth around $100 million from the Washington Nationals a couple years ago, expecting to get paid once he hit free agency. Things definitely didn’t go as planned though, as Desmond had his worst big league season in 2015. Worth over four wins in the each of the previous three seasons, Desmond slumped to just a 1.7 fWAR in 2015 while batting just .233/.290/.384 with an 83 wRC+. He’s now seen his offense decrease each of the past three seasons. To make matters worse for Desmond, he turned down a qualifying offer from the Nationals, meaning on top of everything else, teams will have to give up a draft pick to sign him.

On the bright side, Desmond did still show power in 2015 by hitting 19 home runs, and he has hit 88 over the past four seasons. He’s also stolen 79 bases in that time.  So while his on-base skills are diminishing, he still can find ways to make an impact on offense. While his offense definitely plays up more being a shortstop, many have speculated that Desmond could make the switch to third base (or even the outfield). While not the worst defensive shortstop in the game, he has been below average for most of his career posting a -19 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) and -1.3 UZR/150. If he’s open to a move to the hot corner, could the Indians be the team to finally give him a home?

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It’s a tough fit even if he decides he’s willing to switch to third. As said, he’s turned down both a mammoth extension and a qualifying offer, so his expectations have been very high as far as contract and money are concerned. He’d have to drop his demands considerably for the Indians to be a fit. However, it is now February and he’s still unsigned, which has led many to speculate he could be looking for a one year “pillow contract” to try and rebuild his value and reenter the market next winter. This would be somewhat similar to what Nelson Cruz did with the Baltimore Orioles for the 2014 season. Cruz was able to parlay that one year, $8 million deal into a four year $57 million deal with the Rangers the following season. Desmond, at 30 years old, is several years younger than Cruz was when he did that, so perhaps he’ll still hold out for a long-term deal – there just aren’t a ton of spots left that he fits.

Desmond still is a longshot for the Cleveland Indians. He’s never played third base at the big league level and the draft pick attached would be hard to part with for a guy that hit as poorly as Desmond did in 2015. That said, Desmond does have the biggest potential of any of the free agent options.  He’s proven to be capable of being a four-to-five win player, and even in his poor 2015 season had a 1.7 fWAR.  If he’s willing to take a one-year deal, the Indians would be smart to consider him.

Next: Trade Possible, But Unlikely