Cleveland Indians: The state of the payroll now and in the future

2021 Payroll Situation

Potential Free Agents (8): Encarnacion, Kipnis, Carrasco, Alonso, Otero, Bauer, Salazar, Almonte

Team Options (3): Kluber, Gomes, Roberto Perez

Total option $ value: $30,500,000

Guaranteed Contracts (1): Jose Ramirez

Arbitration Contracts (5): Lindor, Goody, Clevinger, Tyler Olson, Bradley Zimmer, among potentially others

Total Guaranteed Payroll: $11,850,000

Payroll Analysis

This is where the Indians get near the end of their core remaining under contract as things stand right now. If all the potential free agents listed above had their options picked up for 2020, they will be on the open market in 2021.

Losing pitchers like Carrasco, Bauer, and Salazar could be the end of the successful run this rotation has had recently. Encarnacion isn’t likely to be here through 2020, but in the event that he is, he will be a free agent along with Jason Kipnis in this winter as well.

Kluber will be in his final year in 2021, and it’s still not certain that both Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez will remain in Cleveland for the duration of their contracts. With some quality catching options in the minor leagues right now, their futures are up in the air.

In the long run, the Indians aren’t in bad shape financially. They have over $80 million already tied up for 2019 but after that, they are only completely on the hook for $12 million and $11 million for 2020 and 2021 respectively. After the 2019 season will see the big shift in the payroll. We’ll likely see a Lindor extension by then, the team can get Encarnacion’s contract off the books and free up some money.

Obviously, a lot of these future payrolls will change but as things stand right now, the team is in good shape for 2020 and beyond. The problem is, their window for a championship will close either in 2018 or 2019 based on the construction of this roster and payroll outlook. The Cleveland Indians need to make the most of their limited payroll space next winter. Otherwise, the financial future may be good, but the future on the field is a little more bleak.

Next: Monitoring the only other contender in the AL Central

The payroll is maxed out for 2018, and will likely be near that again for 2019. After that, with a title window likely closed and a fresh financial start, that may be a good time to retool this team.