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Why Trading Trevor Bauer & Corey Kluber Could Mean a Deep Playoff Run in October

It’s that time of year again when countless trade possibilities emerge for better or worse…depending on the positioning of your team.

The Indians are playing for a Wild Card spot as of June but it is a long season after all and the Minnesota Twins can crumble at any moment.

One key piece that is missing for Cleveland is a key power bat, similar to the void Edwin Encarnacion had filled for the past few years. Teams have already maintained an interest in two of the Indians starting pitchers before the season started and I expect the rumblings to continue.

Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber we’re tossed around often in trade rumors during the off-season and also into parts of Spring Training. At the time, people seemed strongly against the idea of trading arguably two of the Indians top starting pitchers.

With the Indians contending for a wild card spot and fighting for the right to be atop the AL Central, some ideas have to cross your mind if you are in the Indians front office. Bauer is without a doubt someone you’ll have to hear offers on and the return can be a great one…but why stop at Bauer, why not shop around Kluber as well?

Kluber and Bauer could possibly even be packaged together in a three-team trade which would ensure prospects, along with MLB ready talent, and could nearly guarantee a power bat if you decide to give up two All-Star pitchers. Kluber would be a risk for a team technically with his current injury but someone is bound to take the risk.

Possibilities I’d consider would be;

3B Nicolas Castellanos– .263/.315/.454, 7 homers, 21 doubles, 24 RBI’s

1B Jose Abreu– .246/.293/.496, 16 homers, 17 doubles, 52 RBI’s

RF Franmil Reyes– .243/.294.548, 19 homers, 7 doubles, 33 RBI’s. Career WAR of 2.1

1B/OF Cody Bellinger– .352/.445/.678, 20 homers, 13 doubles, 54 RBI’s. Indians were previously interested in the off-season.

Players that would be unlikely but interesting to acquire:

1B Pete Alonso– .254/.337/.596, 22 homers, 12 doubles, 49 RBI’s

1B/RF Josh Bell– .325/.392/.663, 19 homers, 25 doubles, 61 RBI’s

If you are unable to get any of these players listed above I’d strongly consider trading for solid prospects (some that are MLB ready), and calling up Bobby Bradley to fill the DH spot. Losing Bauer and Kluber would be difficult and upsetting for fans but the Indians have a good problem when it comes to starting pitchers.

Payton Vince is either talking about sports or watching sports. He covers sports for Metro Networks and is also a writer for LastWordOnSports.com. He grew up in Brooklyn Heights,Ohio for most of his life then around senior year of high school moved to Cleveland. A fan of the Cleveland Indians, Cavaliers, and a Pittsburgh Steelers, he graduated from Cuyahoga Heights High School (Class of 2014) and also graduated from the Ohio Center for Broadcasting in 2015. He bowled and played baseball in high school, and is a huge fan of independent wrestling and WWE, and can almost always find him at an independent show. Lastly, Payton is a backstage interviewer for Mega Championship Wrestling in Elyria, and is one of the three on ‘That Sports Show’ which airs daily from 2-4pm on AllSportsCleveland.com.

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Bryan

    June 14, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    You can cross off Cody Bellinger from that list. They wouldn’t make the trade when Kluber was at his best. They certainly won’t do it now when he’s dealing with a serious injury & Cody is in a breakout, MVP-type year. 😂😂

  2. Jack Bauer

    June 14, 2019 at 4:37 pm

    “Fighting for the chance to be atop the AL central” my god there 11 games back! This is s humor piece right?

    • KIRBY J PEDERSEN

      June 16, 2019 at 12:03 am

      The likelihood that the Dodgers would trade Bellinger is as likely as you having brain activity that can be recorded.

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