With the All-Star break now behind us and the second half of the season about to begin, the Indians' attention turns to sealing their place in the postseason. To do that should be relatively simple (we hope), but to succeed once they get there is another matter altogether.
To ensure October success, Cleveland are in need of reinforcements and the odd upgrade here and there. Relief pitching is an area that could certainly benefit from some new additions.
Prior to the All-Star break the Tribe's bullpen had a 5.28 ERA, ranking them 29th in the Majors - only the Royals have been worse. The Indians' 4.85 FIP (fielding independent pitching) also puts them 29th in the league, despite the club leading their division by 7.5 games. Clearly the relief corps warrant some attention before the trade deadline on the 31st July.
Bullpen ace Andrew Miller is set to return from injury in the coming weeks but what sort of player will he be? The dominant Miller of late 2016 or the awkward and struggling Miller we have seen this year? The Tribe's set-up situation definitely requires an overhaul, as Dan Otero and Zach McAllister have not been up to standard this year.
Without further ado, lets discuss some of the options out there that the Indians may target before the trade deadline passes:
Brad Hand - San Diego Padres
Hand is one of baseball's top relievers known to be on the market and he's been linked with a number of clubs this summer, with Cleveland rumored to be in the mix. The two-time All-Star left-hander currently sports a 3.05 ERA in 41 games with 24 saves, with 65 strikeouts over 44.1 innings.
The 28 year-old is an appealing target for the Indians, not just for his performance but also for his contract. Hand's current deal is relatively affordable even for a team with a budget like Cleveland's. Hand will make $6.5 million in 2019, $7 million in 2020 and has a $10 million club option for the 2021 season.
The price tag to acquire Hand will be steep, and the Padres won't sell unless they feel they're getting a fantastic prospect in return. It wasn't so long ago the Indians showed their willingness to trade away prized pieces from the farm for a top reliever, most notably in the 2016 trade for Andrew Miller from the Yankees. It's not inconceivable we see a repeat of this in 2018.
Hand is my number one target but you just get the feeling the Cubs or the Yankees will put together trade packages that might be more appealing for San Diego, and steal him away.
(UPDATE: I was wrong, thankfully, although the Tribe did have to give up their biggest asset to acquire Hand. So I was somewhat right!)
Brad Brach - Baltimore Orioles
The 28-69 Orioles have finally set Manny Machado free, so it is likely we'll see some more Baltimore birds fly the nest in the next couple of weeks.
The 32 year-old Brach is one player the Indians may be targeting. Brach has a 4.46 ERA in 39 games, but a much more respectable 3.61 FIP. His 1.734 WHIP is a slight cause for concern, indicative of his command struggles this season, but his career in Baltimore up to this point suggests this first half performance is perhaps not a fair reflection of his talent (he hasn't had a WHIP above 1.200 since 2013, his final year in San Diego).
One knock against Brach, and his teammate and fellow trade target Zach Britton, is his eligibility to test free agency at the end of this season. With the Indians likely to lose both Cody Allen and Andrew Miller this winter, Cleveland will probably want to bring in new relievers with the future in mind. Still, I think Brach could be a solid addition to the bullpen in 2018, and could really help in their quest for the World Series this year.
Raisel Iglesias - Cincinnati Reds
In his four-year career with the Reds, you could argue Iglesias has been the centerpiece of the Cincinnati bullpen, and has developed into a solid closer. With the Reds at the bottom of the NL Central and seemingly away from contention within the next year or two, there's potential for trades to be made if they receive the right offer.
Iglesias currently has 19 saves and a 2.36 ERA in 39 games, with 46 strikeouts in 42 innings. A bonus towards acquiring the 28 year-old Cuban would be the long term effect he could have in Cleveland, as he's not arbitration eligible until 2021 and his current contract is affordable at $5.7 million a year.
If the Indians are able to acquire Iglesias, he could theoretically pitch in any role Francona needs. The right-hander has shown he can perform the duties of a setup man or closer, and could even handle multi-inning outings without any issues. I would be very keen to see the Tribe keep Iglesias in Ohio, and bring him north to the shores of Lake Erie.
Sergio Romo - Tampa Bay Rays
The 35 year-old Romo has been the picture of consistency in the Tampa Bay bullpen this year, and the versatile veteran with plenty of postseason experience (part of two World Series winning teams) might be just the kind of reliever the Indians could look to add.
He's carrying a 3.83 ERA over 46 games thus far for the Rays, with 46 strikeouts in 42.1 innings of work and 11 saves.
Romo is no longer the elite closer he was in his Giants heyday but he still remains an experienced and solid option that would compliment any bullpen. The Rays are on the fringes of a possible Wild Card spot this year, so they may be reluctant to sell. Also, Romo would be a 36 year-old free agent ahead of the 2019 season, so he would almost certainly be seen as a rental in this "win now" window the Tribe find themselves in. Nevertheless, if Cleveland could bring Romo aboard without having to sell the farm, I would be happy to have him.
Kyle Barraclough - Miami Marlins
Similar to Hand and Iglesias, Barraclough is another relief target the Indians would look to buy for both this year and the future. If Cleveland could acquire the the 28 year-old, he could become a fixture in the Indians bullpen for years to come (he's under team control through 2021).
Barraclough has been sublime in 2018, with a 1.28 ERA and 9 saves, over 44 games and 42.1 innings.
The market for the 6'3 right-hander is extremely competitive though, and the Marlins are reportedly holding out for top prospects only. Cleveland may have to release one of, if not multiple prized assets in the hopes they can pry Barraclough away from sunny Miami.
With competition from the likes of the Dodgers and Red Sox, it could be difficult to land an arm as electric as Barraclough's, but he looks like he could be worth the price.
Kirby Yates - San Diego Padres
Yates is another reliever from the Padres that could be a realistic target for the Tribe, a right-hander under team control through 2020. Yates is a potential long-term addition who would improve the bullpen this season and give the Indians a late-inning option for a bullpen that will likely be without Miller and Allen in 2019.
Cleveland actually had Yates briefly during the 2015-16 offseason (between waiver claims), so he should be something of a known quantity in the organization.
The 31 year-old is in the midst of a career year with the Padres, and currently possesses a 1.43 ERA over 39 games. His strikeout ratio has been particularly impressive, with 48 punch-outs over 37.2 innings. Yates is certainly the kind of guy I could see the Indians realistically trading for.
Jared Hughes - Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati picked up Jared Hughes on a two year deal this offseason for a combined $4.5 million, plus a 2020 team option for $3 million. Similar to many of the other relievers I have mentioned, Hughes' level of team control and fantastic value-for-money could be too attractive for the Indians to pass up.
Hughes is on course for the best season of his career, and currently has a 1.44 ERA over 43 games, in 50 innings of work (with 6 saves thrown in for good measure).
The Reds won't feel like they have to sell Hughes (or Iglesias, mentioned earlier) but given that they aren't exactly preparing to make a run at the World Series any time soon, the Indians could make them an offer too good to refuse.
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Ultimately, if the Indians want to stand a serious chance of winning it all this year, they are going to have to add at least one new face to the bullpen, preferably two (at least). It could potentially cost them in the long run, but wouldn't a World Series title be worth it?
(UPDATE: They read my mind! Let's now see if they add any more bullpen help before the end of the month)
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