Cleveland Indians: 3 players you should be prepared to lose this offseason

3 players you should be prepared for the Cleveland Indians to lose this offseason

There’s a little over a month left in the 2021 season and that means that attention is slowly drifting towards the upcoming offseason. For some teams, the postseason provides a more clear focus at the moment, but majority of the league is in the planning process for the winter months.

In the case of the Cleveland Indians, who will shift to the Cleveland Guardians once the offseason begins, this offseason will bring a different atmosphere than fans might be used to seeing. For starters, the name change will surely be a talking point as we get ready to see the Guardians take the field for the first time, but also how the team approaches the offseason will be something to watch in itself.

The Tribe have made it known that their current goal is to save payroll. The team has had one of the lowest payrolls in the league throughout the season and have found ways to shed big contracts. From moving Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco before the season to Cesar Hernandez at the deadline, saving money is the key.

What will that mean for the offseason? Well, with the roster most likely trending even younger into the 2022 season, fans shouldn’t expect the Tribe to back up the truck for any free agents. If any big deals happen, they should be to secure in-house stars like Shane Bieber. If anything, the team might look to shed even more money.

So, while not all of these three players are necessarily breaking the bank, they haven’t performed well enough for the Cleveland front office to find them worth the investment heading into 2022. And for that reason, fans should be prepared to lose them in the coming months one way or another because odds are they won’t be in a Cleveland uniform on Opening Day.