Cleveland Indians: 3 players most likely to be gone by trade deadline

Yu Chang, INF, Cleveland Indians

It’s been three years now since the Cleveland Indians traded away Gio Urshela and while Yu Chang has more position versatility, there’s more than one parallel between the two players. The next one could be being traded away from the Tribe.

Being able to play all over the infield, Chang’s value on the trade market could be intriguing for Cleveland’s front office. He has plenty of team control remaining and while he hasn’t been the best at the plate, his ability to play anywhere in the infield could save a spot on the roster.

From the perspective of Cleveland, Chang has been primarily playing first base this year with 20 of his 24 starts being there. Bobby Bradley and Jake Bauers almost trade spots in terms of playing time, but Josh Naylor could soon see more time at the position.

Jordan Luplow is on the IL currently, but once he returns the outfield will be a bit crowded. One simple option would be to give Naylor more playing time at first, only decreasing Chang’s playing time more. As for third, Owen Miller can play there and the offensive production isn’t all that different between Miller and Chang.

Essentially, it comes down to Chang being expendable. His role can easily be replaced with who’s already on the roster in Cleveland. If another team is interested in Chang, which could be a big if, then the Tribe should listen and seriously consider any offer.