Cleveland Indians: Potential trade offers the team could make

With trade talks continuing to pop up around the league, let’s take a look at some members of the Cleveland Indians that could be worth moving.

Nobody wants to see their favorite players leave, but it’s part of sports. Cleveland Indians fans may already have to say goodbye to longtime favorite Carlos Santana this offseason.

Now that trade rumors continue to circle around all of baseball, we have to ask if the Indians will get involved in them. I’m not talking about selling the whole farm for Giancarlo Stanton (seriously, it’s not going to happen). But it is worth taking a look at trades the Indians could make to either clear cap space, or fill a void in the roster.

I think there are two predominant players that the Indians would look at selling.

Jason Kipnis

Jason Kipnis was anything but consistent last season. He missed nearly half the season going back and forth on the DL and wasn’t himself at the plate when he played. The Indians moved Jose Ramirez to second base after Kipnis went down and Giovanny Urshela proved his worth at third base.

Kipnis was moved to center field after Bradley Zimmer went down. But his value out there was nowhere near the Jason Kipnis of old at second. The $30 million he is owed over the next three years is looking more like an albatross with every injury he suffers. If he returned to form, moving him would be a mistake but he simply hasn’t been the same in nearly two years.

Michael Brantley

Michael Brantley is another fan favorite that could be on the move. He has battled with injuries over the last two seasons. He missed almost all of 2016 and half of 2017. When he has played he hit below .300 in both of those seasons. Yes he was an All-Star last season, but in the second half of the year he was anything but. Brantley is still recovering from his ankle injury in the offseason.

The Indians recently exercised Brantley’s $12 million option. That doesn’t mean they won’t try to sell him at some point. If the Indians need to make a move at the 2018 trade deadline, Brantley isn’t out of the question.

It is early in the offseason and there are still a lot of moves to be made. But these two could be moved to address the team’s biggest need.

Trading for a first baseman

The biggest void to be filled is first base. The Indians don’t really have anyone else to put at first base should Santana leave town. There are a lot of options around the league, but if the Indians were to make a trade they could start by looking in the division.

Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox would be a suitable option. Given how the White Sox sold players in the regular season, they may be inclined to sell Abreu. The White Sox have a need for young pitchers. Should the Indians not want to sell Kipnis or Brantley they could give Ryan Merritt away. His work in the 2016 playoffs and in starting doubleheaders for the Tribe show that he can be worked into a rotation.

Another option is Matt Adams of the Atlanta Braves. Adams hit .292 while in a Braves uniform after being traded there in May. The big man could fit right into the void left by Santana. The Braves declined to trade him at the deadline but could be willing to move him now for the right price. Bullpen arms are a strong need for Atlanta, but whether or not the Indians are willing to give up one of theirs up is a different story.

The outfield is worth mentioning should the Indians lose both Jay Bruce and Austin Jackson. But it is worth noting the amount of bodies the Tribe still have to put out there. Bradley Zimmer, Lonnie Chisenhall, Abraham Almonte, Yandy Diaz and Brandon Guyer are all still available to be placed in the outfield.

Next: The 2017 FanSided Winter Meetings

No one wants to see the Indians stand pat and just hope that things work out in 2018. I don’t expect them to do that. But that means potentially saying goodbye to some of our favorite players, which is never easy.