Goodbye Bauer, Hello Puig, Reyes and Co.

I was beginning to think the Indians weren't going to make a move at the trade deadline after all. As July 31st approached, I was lulled into the pretense that everybody would stay put, that the Tribe were content with what they had heading moving forward. 

Then, I wake up this morning to what can only be considered as a blockbuster.

Trevor Bauer, the Tribe's talented but enigmatic starting pitcher, is a Cleveland Indian no more. After nearly seven rollercoaster years of service, Bauer moves to the Cincinnati Reds as part of a three-team deal that also includes the San Diego Padres. Let's break down the moves:

Cincinnati get: Trevor Bauer SP (from Cleveland)

Cleveland get: Yasiel Puig OF, Scott Moss SP (from Cincinnati), Franmil Reyes OF, Logan Allen SP, Victor Nova 2B/3B/OF (from San Diego)

San Diego get: Taylor Trammell OF (from Cincinnati)

Upon first glance, this trade looks overwhelmingly favorable for the Indians - what a haul!

First, let's discuss the loss of Bauer. The Indians' front office had a delicate situation on their hands when approaching the notion of trading one of their best starting pitchers. To send him away to a contender would indicate weakness and admission of defeat this season. To avoid this, anything in return for Bauer was going to have to be big. And so it is with great joy we can celebrate this unique victory because, despite losing Bauer, this trade significantly upgrades the Indians' offense and puts them on track to not only stay competitive in 2019, but for years beyond.

Bauer has had a mixed 2019 thus far, but certainly not as impactful as his remarkable 2018 campaign (2.21 ERA, 221 strikeouts in 175.1 innings). He currently leads all of MLB in innings (156.2) but also walks (63), and possesses a 3.79 ERA, but a 4.17 FIP. Bauer is still one of the supreme strikeout artists in the game, and sits 5th in MLB with 185 K's. 

Whilst he might not be performing at the level he's capable of, the Reds are acquiring a pitcher of considerable talent. It's well known that Bauer's arsenal of pitches is unmatched. Still just 28 years-old, Cincinnati will have him on their books until 2020, his final year of arbitration, which might just be enough time for them to compete. Bauer joins a Reds rotation consisting of Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Tanner Roark, Alex Wood and Anthony DeSclafani, so this upgrade to their pitching staff should help set them apart in this year's wild National League playoff race.

Bauer's history in Cleveland has had considerable highs and lows, but there can be no doubting his effort and love for the game. The clubhouse will be losing a beloved figure, and the majority of fans will acknowledge that on his day, Bauer was an unstoppable force. His personality might not be to everybody's tastes, but when discussing baseball, his knowledge and passion is indisputable. There were many times I wanted the club to wash their hands of him, but ultimately he won me over and I wish him nothing but success going forward.

What about who the Indians got in return?

The marquee name in this trade is Yasiel Puig, the Cuban phenomenon. Like Bauer, the 28 year-old outfielder has enjoyed his share of controversy throughout his career, but I've long been an admirer and have been advocating for the Indians to bring him aboard since 2015. Now we finally have him.

Puig is a right-handed power bat that fills a hole in the outfield the Indians have been trying to fix for some time. Tyler Naquin is quietly enjoying a productive season and his development has been remarkable, but Puig and his notoriously strong arm should take over right field duties immediately. 

Although he hasn't enjoyed the greatest success since his move to Cincinnati, his 2019 numbers are still welcome in Cleveland; in 100 games for the Reds, Puig batted .252 with 22 home runs and 61 RBIs, with 15 doubles as well. He has been more impressive of late, batting .311/.363/.610 with 12 home runs and a .929 OPS since the start of June. Puig will be looking to continue that form once he arrives at Progressive Field. 

Puig's tenure with the Tribe is likely to be short term, since he'll be a free agent after the season, but nobody will be complaining if he can deliver in October. He's exactly what was needed to make the lineup a more potent and dangerous proposition for opposing pitchers.

It might be Puig's name garnering most of the attention but the biggest coup in this trade may belong to Franmil Reyes, the 24 year-old power-hitting outfielder from the Padres.

Reyes' addition to the trade is a surprise, but a very welcome one. I'm still in shock that San Diego were willing to part with him. The Dominican slugger has 27 home runs this season already, leading the Indians by some margin upon his arrival, so his power bat should slot seamlessly into the middle of the Indians lineup. Over 99 games in San Diego he batted .255 with 46 RBIs.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect about Reyes' acquisition is his contract, as he'll be under club control until 2024. Whereas Puig is considered a pure rental in the Tribe's bid for a 2019 championship, Reyes will be a building block for years to come. A quick scan of social media shows just how highly Padres fan rated Reyes and how sad they are to see him go.

The other players included in the trade include pitcher Logan Allen, San Diego's 7th ranked prospect, who has seen time at the Major League level this year but will likely begin his Indians' career in Columbus. Allen was a 2015 8th round pick by the Red Sox and was dealt to the Padres in the deal that sent Craig Kimbrel to Boston.

Scott Moss was the Reds' 12th ranked prospect and the left-handed pitcher hasn't played above the Double-A level yet. Moss was drafted in the 4th round in 2016 and projects as a mid-rotation arm, maybe even a bullpen specialist with a deceptive fastball-slider combo that could hurt left-handed hitters.

Victor Nova is a 19 year-old infielder and outfielder, currently hitting .330 in the Arizona rookie league.

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Overall, I think the majority of Indians fans should feel content with the moves that have been made. Losing Bauer will sting for a while of course, but he was rarely shy about his long-term prospects in Cleveland, and often indicated his future lay elsewhere. The incentive to trade him was always high because of this, and that idea has now become reality. 

The return for him was more than I could have imagined - two powerful MLB-ready outfielders, and three interesting prospects for the future. It gives Cleveland a new foundation to build upon that could reap rewards sooner rather than later.

I consider that business well done.

Recipe For Relief: Bullpen Targets

UPDATE: Just minutes before I was scheduled to publish, Ken Rosenthal broke the news that Brad Hand had been acquired from the Padres, along with Adam Cimber, for Indians' catcher and top prospect Francisco Mejia. So, please enjoy the rest of this post, but bear in mind it was written in a pre-Brad Hand world!

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)