Cleveland Indians: Jay Bruce linked to the San Francisco Giants

Cleveland Indians fans may be holding out hope that Jay Bruce could somehow return in 2018, but he appears to be headed to the Bay Area.

The Cleveland Indians made a notable move by signing Yonder Alonso to a two-year deal earlier this week, but the fact it was for a total of $16 million shows the financial situation of the team.

Carlos Santana leaving for Philadelphia meant the team wasn’t ready to give out another Edwin Encarnacion-esque deal, and that is likely what would be required to keep Jay Bruce in town.

Of all the offseason rumors surrounding Bruce, most of them have not involved the Indians. And as of right now, Bruce is linked to a team nowhere near Cleveland.

So as you can see, Bruce to the Giants is not a done deal, but it is closer than a Bruce return to Cleveland. This would be an interesting move for the Giants, considering how tough the NL West is, but big market teams have money to throw around so maybe they are hoping the even-year magic returns in 2018.

Keeping Bruce was always going to be difficult, as it was clear he was brought in solely for the 2017 World Series chase. And that is fine. The Indians are smart to go after players at the deadline for short-term deals instead of investing heavily in one or two players and being tied up financially.

This strategy allows the Indians to go after players who are having great seasons in the present, instead of paying for past performances. It causes stress in the offseason when the team doesn’t make any major moves, but it does free up money to add assets in the summer.

Next: Breaking down the top offseason rumors

Bruce is not gone yet, but fans shouldn’t hold out too much hope for his return.