Cleveland Indians: 3 free agents that could make a difference in the lineup

As Major League Baseball reaches the trade deadline, teams will be looking to all avenues to add help. For the Cleveland Indians, it might be free agency.

The unusual circumstances that the 2020 season is presenting day-by-day is something that teams across Major League Baseball are having to adjust to, and the Cleveland Indians are no exception.

The trade deadline is rapidly approaching, but this year’s deadline could look a lot different than in years past. The concern of moving players from organization to organization that could possibly be the movement of COVID-19 as well could force teams to shy away for making an exchange for a player via trade. Luckily, this isn’t the only avenue they can look to.

Additionally, there will be teams that might be on the cusp of competing, but is it really worth it to sell out pieces of the future for a shortened season, getting even less than a normal deadline deal? It remains to be seen if sellers will lower the price in deals because of the shortened time table for return, which could also make teams avoid the trade market.

For both of these reasons, the ideal location to add players down the stretch could be through free agency. Despite it already being late-August, there are still plenty of well known names on the free agent list that could be difference-makers for teams in the final leg of the season and then the postseason as well.

This year’s free agent group has a strong representation at most positions, and not all the options are aging veterans that have lost a step. In some cases, there are players that could contribute for multiple years if signed.

As one of the teams that might not want to move younger pieces, the Cleveland Indians could be one the teams to explore the free agent pool. If that is the case, here are three players that could be inserted into the batting lineup upon arrival in Cleveland, of course pending physicals and COVID-19 testing.