Cleveland Indians: 3 Orioles trade targets to keep an eye on this series

Adam Plutko

At the beginning of the season the Cleveland Indians moved Adam Plutko to the Baltimore Orioles in return for cash, a move the club might now be regretting given the struggles and injuries of the starting pitching in Cleveland. With Plutko serving in a reliever role, the Orioles might be willing to send him back to Cleveland if there’s interest on both sides of the deal.

Despite pitching in 21 games this year, Plutko has just one start with most of his appearances being out of the bullpen. His ERA is rather high at 4.61 with his WHIP not far off at 1.39, however a homecoming of sorts could help those numbers improve.

While Plutko wouldn’t provide a long-term solution, he could be a band-aid fix for a starting rotation that is in desperate need of help, specifically from a veteran who doesn’t need time to adjust to the majors. Plutko wouldn’t be an expensive trade and his sub-$600,000 salary for the season fits into the Tribe’s goal of saving money this year. It would hurt a little bit to probably have to pay more than what the team got for him back in March, but if that’s what it takes to get another stable arm in the rotation, then so be it.