Cleveland Indians: Should They Consider Carlos Gomez?

On a League Minimum Deal, Why Not?

Point blank, the Cleveland Indians should not even think about taking on Gomez unless it’s for the league minimum. Either let him clear waivers and become a free agent and then try and sign him or give the Astros a nobody prospect with them taking on all the salary. The only issue here would be finding a roster spot for him.

The 40-man roster spot is an easy fix as somehow Collin Cowgill has survived numerous roster purges this season and is still on the 40-man roster and playing in Triple-A. As things stand now the Indians will likely call Cowgill up in September when rosters expand simply to provide depth but a guy like Gomez could provide that same depth but with potential for some upside.

The bigger issue is who’s 25-man spot does he take? The only guy with options that could make any sense is Abraham Almonte. There are reasons to maybe option Almonte as discussed earlier but with how well he’s playing do you really want to go the next two weeks with him sitting in Triple-A?  If it’s for a big bat the answer would certainly be yes, but for Gomez…

Indians Should Inquire But Ultimately Pass

The biggest selling point for Gomez is his past glory. He’s a big name guy who has a history of performing so the thought of adding him for a stretch run can be enticing. But with just a few weeks left in the season, the Indians need to be focussed on the now and putting the best team out there to win. Tinkering with the roster to fit a guy that’s struggled as much as Gomez has the last calendar year is a risky proposition.

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Perhaps though an injury could force the Tribe to take a harder look at Gomez. Carlos Santana could be headed to the disabled list and roster spot could open up there. Adding a vet to be on the bench isn’t the worst idea either and the St. Louis Cardinals have already shown some interest in Gomez as they chase down the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central race. Ultimately though Gomez is a guy that probably makes more sense on a cheap deal in 2017 rather than the stretch run in 2016 though if he costs nothing and he simply takes Cowgill’s playing time in September, why not?