Cleveland Indians: 3 players to rule out from trade deadline talk

3 players to rule out for the Cleveland Indians at the trade deadline

Trade deadline talk is running rampant through Major League Baseball and the Cleveland Indians have been no exception. We’ve gone over players who could be added and players who could be on their way out. We’ve even discussed if the Tribe will be buyers or if they will opt to be a seller. What we haven’t talked about are the players that the front office has most likely already crossed off their list.

There’s no question that the current front office is a bit restricted in what they can do. Any players brought in via trade have to fit into the financial restraints of the club and also have to be affordable in terms of outgoing prospects. That really narrows the list of players that are available to the club.

On top of that, there has to be a worthwhile need on the roster for the position. For example, there’s obviously no need for a third baseman because Jose Ramirez has the position locked down, Franmil Reyes is the designated hitter and Nolan Jones is the guy for the future at the spot. With all of that covered, why make a move for a player there?

When it comes to the needs of the Cleveland Indians, starting pitching takes the cake but there are few big name pitchers on the market this year, if any. The Tribe could also look to improve other areas of the roster, like infield depth, catcher depth and possibly another outfielder. For all of those needs, there are plenty of options out there but not all will fit in with what Cleveland is looking to do and can do.

With that being said, these three players can be crossed off the trade deadline list for the Cleveland Indians one way or another. Either the player will cost too much on the payroll, isn’t the right roster fit or would be too expensive of a trade in terms of outgoing prospects. Whatever the reason, they most likely won’t end up playing for the Tribe this year.

Player #1 to rule out for the Cleveland Indians

One of the hottest names on the trade market this season is Trevor Story. Now in his sixth season, Story has had an up-and-down career. His first season put him deep in the Rookie of the Year conversation, but sporadic injuries made his progression seem to be on a lower trajectory than anticipated. After bouncing back last season by leading the National League in triples and stolen bases, he could now be on the move.

This season, Story is batting .242/.315/.399 with five home runs, 12 doubles and nine stolen bases. It’s a bit lower than last season, but given that this is a contract year for Story and the Colorado Rockies are expected to be sellers at the deadline, a trade would make sense.

Currently, Story counts for $18.5 million against the books, but there’s the plus of him being a free agent, at least in the eyes of a buyer. Story would be a rental, which drops his price a bit, but he also won’t carry a big price tag for multiple seasons.

The reason why the Tribe can cross him off though is that $18.5 million on top of him just not really being a need. Story’s salary would be the highest in Cleveland, nearly doubling that of Jose Ramirez. Also, Amed Rosario has been playing rather well this season and has pretty much became the everyday shortstop role.

Since Story is so expensive and has only played shortstop in the majors, there just isn’t enough of a reason for Cleveland to go after him.

Player #3 to rule out for the Cleveland Indians

There’s been talk of the Cleveland Indians adding a left-handed power bat to the lineup to compliment Franmil Reyes‘ right-handed swing in the order. While Joey Gallo crosses off those boxes, he still might not be the one to target for the Tribe.

A rather versatile player in terms of positions, Gallo can play in the outfield, first and third. This season, the Texas Rangers have mainly played him in right field where he’s posted a .984 fielding percentage due to a pair of errors. He was even a Gold Glove winner in 2020.

As for at the plate this year, Gallo has blasted 11 home runs with 28 RBI for Texas while slashing .220/.380/.405. Those numbers aren’t awful, but you might expect more home runs from a player who trades average for power.

As for the contract side, Gallo is making just $6.2 million this season and has another year of arbitration left. While that’s great for his value, it still might be viewed as too much by the ownership group.

For Gallo, his contract is a big plus for his value and his stats are solid. The reason for the Tribe to shy away from making a move for him could be the outgoing price and trade-off. With Bobby Bradley being called up and playing well, there isn’t a need a first. As for the outfield, there’s a decent rotation of talent that might not be as good, but is also already on the roster.

Essentially, it’s probably going to take a lot to get Gallo and the front office won’t be willing to pay that price and sacrifice future assets to get it done.