Cleveland Indians: Francisco Lindor trade packages for the AL West

Astros add Lindor

The odds of this deal happening are slim to none, but if a third team could get involved the odds go up a bit. The Houston Astros already have Carlos Correa entrenched at shortstop, but his contract is in a near identical situation to Francisco Lindor’s. If they view Lindor as an upgrade, then perhaps they would consider a move like this.

Also going against the deal is the fact that Alex Bregman’s contract is going to increase by a hefty margin in the coming seasons, so that’s even more money against the team’s books. For the fun of it, though, what if the Cleveland Indians could finagle a deal with Houston?

Well, there isn’t much for the Astros to offer the Indians. They don’t have a top prospect in the outfield that will be MLB-ready in the next few years. The closest they come is Chas McCormick who is currently listed as the team’s No. 21 prospect. Unless the Indians want to wait for a while for the outfielder in the deal to debut, McCormick is their best bet. Luckily, he isn’t the core of the deal.

The main return for the Indians here is Jeremy Pena, the No. 4 prospect in Houston. A middle infield prospect that should be ready in 2021, Pena could play either short or second for the Tribe. His minor league numbers are on the impressive side as well, slashing .290/.374/.407. He’s only played as high as High-A, but having collegiate experience could shorten his learning curve to the majors.