Cleveland Indians: Top five deadline deals in team history

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Best Deal #4 – 2008:  Casey Blake for Carlos Santana (and Jon Meloan)

Blake was a good Indian, the original 4C guy. But he was due to become a free agent at the end of the year. On July 26, 2008 the Indians sent him to the Dodgers.

Meloan had a good fastball, but never did much in Cleveland. Santana broke into the majors in 2010. In seven years he hit 174 home runs and recorded an .806 OPS. He was a middle of the lineup hitter in the 2016 and 2017 playoffs.

The 2008 Dodgers won the division and the ALDS against the Cubs. Blake was a solid contributor. Not worth Santana though.

Best Deal #3 –  Corey Kluber for Jake Westbrook

Jake Westbrook was a pretty solid starter for nine seasons (69-69, 4.29 ERA) in Cleveland.

Corey Kluber has won two Cy Young awards. And he has led the Indians to back to back post-seasons.

Case closed.  Almost.

It’s worth noting that Westbrook came in a deadline deal on June 29, 2000 (along with Zach Day and Rickey Ledee) for David Justice. Westbrook was a member of the 2007 playoff Indians.

And it’s worth noting that Justice came from Atlanta in a 1997 trade (along with Marquis Grissom) for Kenny Lofton.

Grissom and Justice were two-thirds of the 1997 Indians World Series outfield. And Kenny Lofton came from Houston in a December 1991 trade for Willie Blair and Eddie Taubensee.

Lofton was a member of the 1995 World Series Indians.

Taubensee was an April 1991 waiver claim.

Eddie Taubensee. The gift that keeps on giving.