Five Biggest Questions for the Indians This Off-Season
For the first time since 2015, despite winning 93 games this season, the Cleveland Indians will not be playing postseason baseball this year. Looking ahead to the winter, the Tribe once again have a lot of decisions to make about the personnel on their roster. Here are some of the biggest questions surrounding the Indians as the off-season approaches.
- Will they pick up Corey Kluber’s option?
The 33-year-old, two-time Cy Young Award winner had his worst season since 2012 this year, as he finished 2–3 in seven starts with a 5.80 ERA. Kluber’s season was cut short on May 1 when he suffered a fracture in his forearm after being hit with a line drive.
One season ago, this task would be a simple decision. After this year, however, it may not be so easy. Young pitchers Zach Plesac, Aaron Civale and Jefry Rodriguez emerged as quality options for Terry Francona and proved that the Indians could survive without Kluber.
While he did have a rough season, Kluber is still one of the better pitchers in the league. In the five seasons prior to 2019, Kluber posted a 2.85 ERA and finished in the top 10 in Cy Young voting each year. The nine-year veteran’s option sits at $17.5 million, as it remains to be seen if the Tribe will resign their former ace or use that cash to shore up their hitting or bullpen.
2. Who plays second base?
All signs are pointing to the Indians choosing not to pick up longtime second baseman Jason Kipnis’ $16.5 million option, which begs the question of who will take over his spot in 2020.
One option the Tribe could pursue is moving Jose Ramirez back to second and placing Yu Chang at third. Chang is a versatile infielder who can play third, shortstop and second base. In 28 games for the Tribe this season, the Taiwanese infielder batted .178.
Another route could be finding a stopgap at either third or second through free agency. Should the Indians choose to go this direction, some of their options include Brian Dozier, Howie Kendrick, Mike Moustakas, and former Indians Josh Donaldson and Asdrubal Cabrera.
3. Will Francisco Lindor be traded?
All fans are familiar with the phrase “Enjoy him” from Owner Paul Dolan regarding Francisco Lindor. The Indians have their star shortstop under contract for two more years, as he is set to become one of the highest paid players in the MLB in 2021 barring something catastrophic happens to his play, health, or both.
This winter, the Indians will once again try to sign Lindor to a long-term deal. The Cleveland front office has been unsuccessful in its attempts thus far, and if they fail to extend his contract this off-season, the Indians may entertain trading the four-time All-Star to avoid losing him for nothing. Trading Lindor this year would also bring back higher value for Cleveland compared to his contract year where he would be a rental for a contender.
4. What will the outfield look like?
It seems highly unlikely that the Indians will retain Yasiel Puig, which further increases the chances they will have another rotation of outfielders next year.
Manager Terry Francona has insisted that Franmil Reyes is an outfielder and that he will play there going forward. Even though he spent most of last year as a designated hitter, the Indians do not want him to fall strictly into that category.
Looking at the rest of the outfield, young guns Oscar Mercado and Daniel Johnson should spend plenty of time roaming the grounds of Progressive Field next year. Mercado is coming off an impressive rookie season that saw him post a WAR of 2.2. Johnson is another promising young outfielder waiting in the wings who hit .306 with an .867 OPS in Triple-A this season.
Outside of Mercado and Reyes, who figure to be consistent outfield options next year, a combination of Jake Bauers, Bradley Zimmer, Greg Allen and Jordan Luplow will more than likely fill out the rotation. Pursuing a free agent to be a full-time outfielder is another option.
5. What will the starting rotation look like?
Mike Clevinger and Shane Bieber are no-brainers to return to the rotation, but outside of those two there are a lot of options for the Indians to consider. Civale, Plesac, Rodriguez, Adam Plutko and Carlos Carrasco all started games for the Tribe last year. The Indians must also decide on Kluber and whether or not they want to retain him.
Carlos Carrasco’s return from leukemia this season was one of the better stories in baseball. With “Cookie” back in the fold, the Indians must decide how they plan to use him moving forward. They could move him to the bullpen to provide depth, but he could just as easily return to the rotation if he fully regains his effectiveness.
