In Cleveland Indians trade rumors, the Tribe “would love” to trade right fielder Brandon Moss, according to Fox Sports’ C.J. Nitkowski.
Nitkowski writes:
“Brandon Moss is in right field for the Indians this season and is under control in 2016 before he becomes a free agent. I believe Cleveland would love to move him. He’s making $6.5M this year and will see a substantial raise in 2016. Moss’s batting average (.218) and OBP (.294) have been a disappointment in Cleveland. He’ll likely hit 25-28 home runs but with below average defense that’s not what the Indians need right now. If they can find a taker before the trading deadline Moss will be somewhere else the reminder of this season.”
As Nitkowski pointed out, Moss has been the player he was advertised to be when the Indians traded a marginal second-base prospect in Joey Wendle to the A’s last offseason.
The 31-year-old slugger is arbitration eligible and should see a significant raise if he continues his home-run pace. Power is at a premium, and it will probably cost the Tribe if Moss goes to arbitration.
Nitkowski, a former big-league pitcher, also wrote the Tribe would be smart to trade Carlos Santana. He’s been one of the biggest disappointments of the season, and the Tribe might be best served to move him a team that’s looking for a DH while he still has some value.
“…Santana is the team’s fourth highest player this year at $6.2 million and likely will be next year as well with an $8.45M salary. Santana, the team’s primary first basemen is a former catcher who the Indians tried at third base. First is the best place to hide him but as someone close to the team told me recently ‘you’re holding your breath every time a ball is hit to him, hoping he catches it.’ Santana continues to get on base at terrific pace (.368 over the past three seasons) but the plus/minus when you consider the defense for the team’s fourth highest paid player is not working for the type of team the Indians are morphing into.”
If these players are dealt, it may appear that the Indians are selling on the season. And that’s true, but it doesn’t mean the Tribe is undergoing a major rebuilding project. The Tribe still has the pitchers needed to contend and depending on what kind of moves the team can make with its tradeable assets will say a lot about how the front office views the team moving forward into next season.
