Cleveland Indians Offseason Tracker: Hottest Free Agency News, Trade Rumors
A late-season surge propelled the Cleveland Indians into the playoffs in 2013, and the Tribe tried to follow that same formula again last season. Unfortunately, they fell short, peaking too early (18-9 in August), playing mediocre ball in September (14-13) and just missing out on October.
The good news for the Indians is that the vast majority of the team's core remains under contract, and the continued development of youngsters like Yan Gomes and Jason Kipnis—coupled with the expected arrival of top prospect Francisco Lindor—offers significant hope for the future.
The bad news, however, is that long-term investments in veterans like Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher haven't worked out as planned—and those deals serve as a serious hindrance to general manager Chris Antonetti's ability to make substantial additions to the roster this winter.
Still, you can be sure that the Indians will be busy this offseason, perhaps more on the trade front than in free agency, as they try to regroup and make another run at the AL Central crown in 2015.
Keep it here for the most up-to-the-minute rumblings about the Indians, along with analysis and everything else that comes with it. While the post date will always show as Oct. 31, simply click to the next slide to see the latest from the rumor mill.
Cleveland's Free Agents and Done Deals
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All the juicy rumors and analysis follow, but consider this your one-stop shop for all the comings and goings in Cleveland this winter, including the status of the team's free agents.
Done Deals
Nov. 22: Acquired RHP Charles Brewer from the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash considerations
Nov. 26: Traded LHP Scott Barnes to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations
Dec. 8: Traded 2B/3B Joe Wendle to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for 1B/OF Brandon Moss (Analysis)
Dec. 15: Signed 1B/OF Jerry Sands to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training
Dec. 16: Signed RHP Gavin Floyd to a one-year deal
Dec. 23: Signed RHP Jeff Manship to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training
Indians Free Agents
UTIL Mike Aviles (Oct. 31: $3.5 million team option picked up)
DH Jason Giambi
Indians Are Pursuing Brett Anderson
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Thursday, Dec. 11 at 8:57 a.m. ET
When he's healthy, Brett Anderson looks very much like a front-of-the-rotation starter. Problem is, he's never healthy.
But that hasn't stopped the Indians from pursuing him, according to ESPN's Jim Bowden.
Injuries limited Anderson, 26, to eight starts for Colorado in 2014, and he's not made more than 20 starts in a season since 2009, his rookie year with Oakland. Over parts of six seasons, Anderson has gone 27-32 with a 3.73 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
Dec. 8: Acquired 1B/OF Brandon Moss from Oakland
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Age: 31
Bats: L
2014 Stats (OAK): .234/.334/.438, 50 XBH (25 HR), 81 RBI
Contract Status: Under club control through 2016 season
The Indians got their man, landing slugger Brandon Moss in a deal with Oakland that saw infield prospect Joe Wendle head out west.
Moss is coming off his third consecutive season with at least 21 home runs and second straight 80-plus RBI campaign, but his slash line (.234/.334/.438) declined for the second consecutive season as well.
He figures to split time between the DH spot with Nick Swisher and in the outfield with David Murphy, though it's entirely possible that he could serve as a full-time DH if the Indians are able to move Swisher, as they've been trying to do for the better part of a month.
The left-handed Moss has been quite productive at Progressive Field (though it's a small sample size), hitting .324/.425/.706 with eight extra-base hits (two home runs) and 10 RBI over 34 career at-bats.
Joe Wendle, named Cleveland's 13th best prospect after the 2013 season by Baseball America, was expendable considering the club's incredible middle infield depth. Considering the power that Moss offers, this deal was a no-brainer for the Indians to make.
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Justin Upton Is on Cleveland's Radar
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Cleveland is among the teams with interest in Atlanta outfielder Justin Upton, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Upton, 27, is coming off a solid season for the Braves, one that saw him hit .270 with 29 home runs, a career-high 102 RBI and a .833 OPS. Due $14.5 million in the last year of his contract, Upton is something of a bargain considering the going rate for right-handed power.
According to Sherman, the Braves are seeking a second baseman and a starting pitcher in exchange. Cleveland certainly has a number of young, intriguing middle infield prospects—Jose Ramirez comes to mind as an obvious trade chip—and might be one of the teams capable of putting a deal together.
That said, is the upside of having Upton for one season—you'd have to imagine that he's intent on testing the free agent market after the upcoming season—worth dealing away young pieces that could be a part of Cleveland's future?
Chris Denorfia to Split Time with David Murphy in Right Field?
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Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 11:26 a.m. ET
While some of the other free agents that have popped up on Cleveland's radar would require the team to shed salary before adding, veteran outfielder Chris Denorfia would not.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes reports that the Indians have reached out to Denorfia to express their interest.
The 34-year-old, who made $2.25 million last year, had a rough season at the plate, hitting only .230 with three home runs and 36 RBI, splitting time between San Diego and Seattle. A career .272 hitter, it's not a stretch to think that he could bounce back and be a productive member of a lineup in 2015.
Known for his ability to hit left-handed pitching, his .220 mark in 2014 was, like the rest of his numbers, well below his career mark of .280.
Kendrys Morales on Indians Radar
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Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 11:15 a.m. ET
Could Cleveland's eight-year love affair with Kendrys Morales finally come to fruition this winter?
Admirers of the free agent since he defected from Cuba in 2006, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says that the Indians have touched base with Morales about potentially joining the Tribe.
Moreales, 31, struggled mightily in 2014 with Minnesota and Seattle, hitting only .218 with eight home runs, 42 RBI and a .612 OPS over 98 games. Never able to get going after sitting out until early June, he averaged 22 home runs and 75 RBI a year from 2009 to 2013, hitting .286 with a .833 OPS in the process.
While his market value is down after such a terrible season, adding Morales still isn't going to be cheap. If the Indians can't move Nick Swisher, it's hard to see how they could fit Morales on the roster, both in terms of payroll and playing time.
Chase Headley Too Expensive for Indians
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Update: Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 11:00 a.m. ET
As quickly as it arrived, the thought of Chase Headley manning the hot corner in Cleveland next year has disappeared.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the Tribe had reached out to Headley's camp a few times and walked away with the understanding that what he's looking for in his next deal isn't something that the club is willing—or able—to provide him with.
--End of Update--
Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 9:41 p.m. ET
If the Indians are able to find a sucker taker for Nick Swisher's contract, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports that Cleveland plans on making a run at free agent third baseman Chase Headley.
While he's battled injury in recent seasons and is never going to put up the kind of MVP-caliber numbers that he did for San Diego in 2012 (31 HR, 115 RBI, .875 OPS), the switch-hitting 30-year-old has gotten on base nearly 35 percent of the time over his career and is one of the game's premier defenders at third base.
The New York Yankees haven't hidden their desire to bring Headley back to the Bronx, and with San Francisco losing Pablo Sandoval to Boston, the defending World Champions could look to add the veteran to the mix as well.
Whether moving Swisher's deal would give the Indians enough spending cash to compete with the likes of the Yankees and Giants for his services remains to be seen.
Nick Swisher on His Way out of Cleveland?
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Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 2:59 p.m. ET
Indians fans, let your imaginations run wild.
Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweets that the Tribe is "exploring wide range of options, including a trade of Swisher for another player with an inflated contract."
Who might that other player be? It's hard to imagine that it'd be one of the outfielders on the Los Angeles Dodgers (Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp), given that Swisher, at this point in his career, is best utilized as a first baseman and designated hitter.
It's all speculation on my part, but could Swisher find his way to Baltimore in exchange for former Indians ace Ubaldo Jimenez? The money on their deals isn't too far off: Swisher has two years and $30 million left on his contract (not including a vesting option for 2017), while Jimenez is due $38.75 million over the next three years.
If not Jimenez, who?
Indians Aren't Planning to Be Major Players on Free Agent Market
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Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 6:02 p.m. ET
Realistically, few expect the Indians to make major changes to their roster this winter, and that's a good thing.
Because general manager Chris Antonetti feels the same way, as he told MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
"I think we head into the offseason with a position of strength, knowing that we can field a team that was very competitive in the second half of the season. We can field that team if the season started today. But we're not complacent. We want to continue to push and find ways to improve the roster, whether it's through a significant move or just a move that complements our group.
"
With Jason Giambi the team's only free agent, there's not much room for the Indians to go out and sign a big-time talent.
"I think what we would look for from the free-agent market is something to complement our roster," Antonetti said. "I don't think we are going to be in the free-agent market to add a cornerstone player."
Could Ubaldo Jimenez Return to Cleveland?
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Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 10:50 a.m. ET
Baltimore has been shopping Ubaldo Jimenez at the GM meetings this week and CBS Sports' Jon Heyman speculates that the Indians could have interest in a reunion.
Jimenez was terrible for the Orioles in 2014, going 6-9 with a 4.81 ERA and 1.52 WHIP en route to losing his rotation spot, but was fantastic for the Tribe in 2013 when he went 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA and 1.33 WHIP.
With three years and roughly $39 million left on his deal, Jimenez is moderately priced and could fit into the Indians payroll if they sent some salary back to Baltimore in a potential deal.
Oct. 31: Cleveland Picks Up Mike Aviles' Option
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Update: Friday, Oct. 31 at 1:20 p.m. ET
The Indians announced via Twitter that they have indeed exercised their $3.5 million option on Aviles for the 2015 season.
Whether this means that Jose Ramirez will start the season in the minor leagues (assuming Francisco Lindor wins the shortstop job in spring training) or if the Tribe will dangle Ramirez as trade bait this winter remains to be seen.
--End of Update--
Between the team's tight budget, Mike Aviles' mediocre offensive production (.247 BA, .616 OPS) and the emergence of 21-year-old infielder Jose Ramirez, there's a strong case to be made for Cleveland to decline the $3.5 million option that it holds on the 33-year-old infielder.
But that's not something the team seems to be considering, as Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer reports that the Indians are expected to pick up his option, pointing to Aviles' versatility as the primary driving force behind that decision.
Aside from second base and shortstop, Aviles spent time at third base and all three outfield spots in 2014.
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