Cleveland Indians: Three last minute free agent additions to explore

Neil Walker

It’s been more than a handful of seasons since Neil Walker collected the Silver Slugger award, but at 35-years old he could still be a player that the Cleveland Indians should explore. Having played multiple positions, Walker offers a veteran presence at multiple spots while also offering a stable glove at the first base position.

Bobby Bradley and Jake Bauers are currently the two lead horses in the race for first base, but neither have an all-around game yet. Bradley has offense, but needs improvement in the field while Bauers is the opposite. If the Indians feel that neither are ready, then Walker could be a veteran option to add.

While most of Walker’s experience has been at second base, he still has almost 1,000 innings at first with a .995 fielding percentage. Having a reliable glove like that at a position in question would be a smart addition to the bench, or maybe even the starting lineup. Also, his ability to play second, third and even the outfield makes it easier to justify giving him a roster spot.

I will say that Walker’s bat has slowed down some, slashing .231/.244/.308 last season, but those numbers are still better than Bauers in terms of a defensive first basemen and his fielding is more reassuring than Bradley. Also, being near the end of his career, this would be a cheap, low-risk deal for the Indians.

Josh Reddick

The Cleveland Indians have already added outfielders with Eddie Rosario, Ben Gamel and Billy Hamilton, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t add another. The Indians’ outfield has been a bit of a mess for a long time outside of Michael Brantley for a few years. Trade deadline additions and countless platoons have become the norm, which is what makes Josh Reddick an intriguing possibility.

Like Walker, adding Reddick would be a defensive addition to the Tribe’s roster on a cheap, low-risk deal. Reddick is barely younger at 34-years old and already has a ring, so now it might be for him playing as long as he can. For the Indians, he would provide a veteran presence among a young position group while being a stable glove.

For his career, Reddick holds a .980 fielding percentage, playing best in left field with a .988 mark. Now, it seems like the corner outfield spots are going to be Josh Naylor and Eddie Rosario, but if they want to move Naylor to first base, then putting Reddick in the outfield for a year could be a fix.

While Walker is more of a plug-and-play signing, it would take a little bit of moving around for Reddick to make sense. However with such a crazy outfield situation, you can’t discount the idea.

Homer Bailey

You can never have too many pitchers and adding veterans in the minor leagues is a common trend. Adam Plutko currently fills the role of the player that goes back-and-forth between Triple-A and the majors, but another wouldn’t hurt, especially with such a young rotation. After moving Carlos Carrasco, there’s still a question mark on the fifth spot in the rotation and that’s where Homer Bailey could be added.

Turning 35-years old in May, Bailey is nearing the end of his career, but still has some left in the tank. He also has the ability to either start or come out of the bullpen, which means he would be added to the mix of Plutko, Cal Quantrill and others along those lines. However, as I said this Indians’ rotation is going to be young and could have some road bumps. Having a veteran presence in Bailey to not only help the younger guys learn, but also pitch when needed could be huge.

Last year, Bailey only pitched eight innings for Minnesota, but in 2019 he tossed 163.1 innings between Kansas City and Oakland. His 4.57 ERA isn’t great, but he wouldn’t have to be great in his role. He would just need to hold down the fort when needed and provide veteran guidance.