Cleveland Indians: 3 affordable trade targets that could improve the outfield

Cleveland Indians Trade Target #1: David Dahl, Texas Rangers

There was a point in time this past offseason that David Dahl, an oft-injured former Colorado Rockies upstart might have been the best value outfielder in free agency. Dahl, an All-Star in  2019, was coming off an injury plagued 2020 that saw him slash just .183/.222/.247 in 24 games for Colorado before signing with the Texas Rangers for $2.7M. For the record, Cleveland’s highest paid outfielder this season is Eddie Rosario, commanding $8M in cap space in his age 29 season.

Dahl, who is only 27, is currently on the Rangers’ injured list and has slashed .208/.242/.340 in 42 games so far in 2021. Those numbers aren’t necessarily an improvement over any one player on the Tribe’s current 40-man, but Dahl still possesses his 2019 All-Star potential, where he slashed .302/.353/.582 over the course of 100 games with Colorado.

And for those of you who drone on about the advantages of being a hitter at Coors Field, Dahl’s 2019 splits showed similar power at home and on the road, hitting 16 doubles and nine home runs at home versus 12 doubles and six home runs on the road.

The Rangers took a flier on Dahl, weighing the risk-reward of his injury history and his past production, much the same way the Indians have taken fliers on players like Carlos Gonzalez or Domingo Santana. So, how does an injury prone outfielder help Cleveland and how do they get him without breaking the bank?

Let’s say, rather optimistically, that Mercado is able to regain some fraction of his 2019 superpowers. Platooning Dahl and Mercado in a corner outfield spot could be highly beneficial to the Indians, given that Dahl may just need a combination of new scenery, extra off days/rest and to be apart of a competitive team making a playoff push. If by doing so Dahl and Mercado are able to come close to their career averages of .275 and .246 respectively, then the Tribe is on to something.

Dahl backfired for the Rangers, a team in the midst of a rather lengthy rebuild, where they hoped he might stay healthy and draw a hefty prospect package at the deadline. Given how the season has played out, the cost for Dahl should be somewhat reduced, meaning a pair of prospects along the likes of second basemen Andruw Monasterio and catcher Bryan Lavastida might be enough to seal the deal.

Cleveland Indians Trade Target #2: Raimel Tapia, Colorado Rockies

The writing was on the wall for Colorado before the 2021 season ever began that a massive rebuild was about to take place, signaled by the bizarre saga that was former Rockies General Manager Jeff Bridich trading Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals for what appeared to be scraps. Colorado is flooded with strong trade candidates this season as we approach the deadline featuring the likes of Trevor Story, Jon Gray and Charlie Blackmon, but outfielder Raimel Tapia may be flying under the radar.

Tapia, 27, owns a career slash line of .286/.328/.408 across parts of six seasons with Colorado, including a .292 batting average with 19 doubles through 77 games in 2021. He’s currently on a $1.95M deal, a very cheap rental for Cleveland’s purposes, and still has two years of arbitration left. Tapia has dealt with some injuries over the course of his career, but nowhere near the extent of former teammate David Dahl, while showcasing an impressively consistent bat in his young career.

Tapia owns near identical batting averages against left (.285) and right-handed pitchers (.287), allowing for batting order and defensive lineup flexibility. He also has a career slash line of .311/.365/.467 with runners in scoring position, something Cleveland could certainly use to bolster their 5.6 runs per game in the month of June as we move into July.

Having played roughly 78% of his career in left field, transitioning to center field with Cleveland makes some sense for Tapia, given the ball won’t carry nearly as much along the shores of Lake Erie as it does in Denver. His bat would be a significant improvement over Bradley Zimmer’s while giving up some defense in exchange, but knowing how the Indians operate, a platoon of Zimmer, Harold Ramirez and Tapia would be the most likely outcome.

As for what Colorado might want in exchange, the organization is at a crossroads. They have yet to hire a new General Manager since Bridich’s resignation, meaning the team may not have a plan as to how far down to the studs they want this rebuild to go. If that’s the case, then take a swing and try and package Jon Gray in this deal to help the starting rotation, otherwise a one-for-one swap for Ernie Clement might get the job done as the Rockies will likely need an immediate replacement for Trevor Story.

Cleveland Indians Trade Target #3: Adam Frazier, Pittsburgh Pirates

Adam Frazier represents arguably the hottest commodity on the trade market among this trio of players, a 29-year old natural second basemen with outfield experience slashing .326/.395/.465 with 24 doubles through 77 game in 2021. Frazier has been arguably the most consistent Pirate since debuting in 2016, owning a career slash line of .281/.345/.421 over six seasons with Pittsburgh.

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Knowing Frazier’s incredibly symmetrical home-away and righty-lefty splits, he would likely fill an every day role for the Tribe, presumably taking over right field on a near permanent basis while also being able to relieve Cesar Hernandez on occasion. He also has a reputation for not striking out, registering a career high 75 strikeouts in 2019 and fewer than 300 over his six seasons.  Combining the affordability of his $4.3 million contract and being the most concrete solution to Cleveland’s problems, Frazier is a slam dunk plug-and-play candidate from day one should the Tribe pull the trigger.

The Pirates have the second lowest payroll in the league with a roster comprised largely of prospects getting the chance to prove their value to the future of the club, and the odd veteran like Tyler Anderson and Gregory Polanco.

The likes of the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees likely have interest in a player like Frazier as well, driving up demand and starting a bidding war, exactly what the Pirates might be hoping for. The Pirates farm is stacked with middle infielders, meaning an outfielder or an arm would have to be guaranteed back to Pittsburgh. A package that includes catcher Bryan Lavastida, outfielder Daniel Johnson and a lottery ticket might pique the Pirates’ interest with Johnson close to major league ready.