Cleveland Indians: A shutout win and some big roster moves

The Cleveland Indians picked up a shutout win Friday night but the main story of the weekend came in the form of a big trade.

The Cleveland Indians entered Friday night with Jose Ramirez firmly set at third base. That is where he played in the team’s 3-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Then the Indians traded for Josh Donaldson, who will effectively bump Ramirez to second and Jason Kipnis to either the bench or the outfield.

The Donaldson trade has led to some polarizing reactions and I just don’t get why. The Blue Jays are paying for most of his remaining money this season, and it’s not like the fans have to pay salaries anyway. So the money shouldn’t be an issue.

He has missed most of the season but it is not like he is filling an immediate need. He is an extra talent who will be relied upon to have a great 10-15 at-bats in October. May as well add as much talent as possible.

The news broke as the Indians were finishing up the 3-0 win that saw Corey Kluber go seven scoreless, followed by Cody Allen who proved he can still provide some clutch pitching. His scoreless eighth led to a Brad Hand save in the ninth.

Today brought a few more moves as the roster expand.

As predicted a few days ago, Eric Haase is now with the team to get some reps with the major league squad. Rajai Davis is also back to help the outfield depth.

The main story all month will be the changes made now that Donaldson is here. And also when he will make his debut.

He could sit out for most of the month and the trade will still be worth it if he produces in October.

The Indians enter tonight’s game with a 14-game lead over the Minnesota Twins. This whole month will be about preparing the team for October and figuring out the best lineup. Things will be tried out and certain players may be playing new positions.

It may feel weird but the Indians are in a great spot. Adding a former MVP only helps increase the available talent pool.