Two trades that would start the Cleveland Indians inevitable fire sale with a bang

If the Cleveland Indians choose to have a fire sale this offseason, these two trades would send shockwaves around the baseball world.

The Cleveland Indians 2020 season is falling apart. Just eight days ago, Cleveland was tied for first place in the AL Central, now they’ve lost seven straight games, sit six games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place and hold the final AL Wildcard spot by 4.5 games over the Seattle Mariners.

While the Indians will still likely reach the postseason this season, it does not appear their stay in October will be a long one, which could make to an offseason that already figures to see Cleveland sell turn into a fire sale.

The White Sox young core has finally come around to become a force in the AL Central, the Twins are built for at least a few more years of success, the Detroit Tigers have shown signs of taking the next step and even the Royals have made some strides.

Thus, this offseason could be viewed as the perfect time to begin an inevitable rebuilding project by selling off star talent, building farm system depth and getting some large contracts off the books.

If the Indians do choose to go the fire sale route, here are two trades they should make this coming offseason.

The Cleveland Indians trading Francisco Lindor is inevitable. As a small-market club, the Indians simply cannot afford to re-sign him to a $300 million extension that he will desire thus before he hits the free-agent market in 2021, the team must move him in similar fashion to the Red Sox and their trade of Mookie Betts last offseason.

One team that would be able to afford him and give the Indians enough of a hall to feel properly compensated is the New York Mets.

The Mets will soon become the team with the wealthiest owner in baseball with $14 billion man Steve Cohen purchasing the club. Cohen, a lifelong Mets fan, is dedicated to making the club a big-time spender and bringing in top tier talent the team has shied away from in years’ past. Thus, not only would he be willing to pull the trigger on a Lindor trade but re-sign the all-star shortstop.

The Indians can improve their farm system and current outfield problem in a trade with New York.

Brandon Nimmo is one piece Cleveland should look to acquire. Nimmo was named an all-star in 2018, still just 27-years old and holds a career on-base percentage of .387 that the Indians so badly need in their lineup.

The Indians can also look to improve the future outlook of the left side of their infield by adding third base prospect Brett Baty.

Baty is ranked as the Mets fourth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline and was the club’s first-round draft choice in 2019.

Last season Baty slugged seven home runs in 51 minor league games split between three levels while driving in 33 runs. His left-handed power bat would play well in Cleveland’s “Little Green Monster” that is the 325-foot sign in right field at Progressive Field.

Finally, right-handed Dominican Republic import Robert Dominguez would be the perfect piece to finish off the deal.

Dominguez signed with the Mets out of the Dominican Republic in 2019 and has a tremendous fastball that has been clocked at 99 miles-per-hour. The 18-year old is New York’s 14th ranked prospect and with a fastball that cannot be taught, could be developed into a star in Cleveland by working on his offspeed stuff with one of baseball’s best franchises when it comes to developing pitching.

This deal gives the Indians a plug and play guy, a future starter at a position of need and a promising young arm that would all help make Lindor’s loss a little easier.