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.

Bryan Shaw, RP, Cleveland Indians

There was one point in the season where it seemed like maybe Bryan Shaw was back to his old ways, holding down the seventh inning for the Tribe. That didn’t last long and the question now is if Shaw will even make it to the end of the season in Cleveland.

The bullpen as a whole has started to struggle of late and that could be attributed to the high usage over the last few months when the starting pitching was up in the air. Being that Shaw is on a one-year deal and will be 34-years old heading into next season, odds are he won’t be part of the club’s future plans.

The month of August has been a bit better for Shaw, but when he gets hit, he gets hit hard. He most recently gave up three runs on three hits in just an inning of work. While those outings happen, they should be limited and Shaw hasn’t exactly done that.

For the purpose of a veteran presence, Shaw has some value. However, for a team that is trending younger and younger, bringing Shaw back doesn’t make sense. He hasn’t proved to be valuable enough to offer a contract and his role next year should be given to an up-and-comer like Nick Sandlin.

Bradley Zimmer, OF, Cleveland Indians

What is happening with Bradley Zimmer right now is almost like watching the Tyler Naquin situation all over again. Zimmer will be 29-years old entering the 2022 season. While he has multiple years of arbitration remaining, the team showed with Naquin that it might not matter.

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It seems like Myles Straw and Harold Ramirez are most likely locked into spots in next year’s outfield. Prospects Oscar Gonzalez and George Valera will soon be knocking at the door, meaning that players like Zimmer, Oscar Mercado and Daniel Johnson could be pushed aside. The question is just when.

Of those three, Zimmer has the least amount of team control left, set to become a free agent in 2025. However, Cleveland could trade or release him at any point and that might be a route they consider.

On the year, Zimmer is slashing .240/.342/.350 with five doubles and five home runs on top of 10 stolen bases. That might be enough to be a depth player, but given what the Tribe need they might be more inclined to give that role to Mercado or Johnson. Both are younger and have a bit more upside if they can tap into their potential.

Of the three on this list, Zimmer is the most likely to stay, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot right now. The outfield is a mess, but as Naquin showed us last year, that doesn’t mean players are automatically safe.