NFL Tickets
For a city which often gets razzed about how often its sports teams lose, Cleveland sure is enjoying a lot of victories lately. The Cleveland Cavaliers just wrapped up their week of celebrating the NBA Championship, while the Cleveland Indians have taken the baton and continued the winning ways.
The Tribe hasn’t lost since last week, currently riding a seven-game winning streak. The offense is providing way more than anyone could’ve predicted, while the pitching is starting to look just as, if not more intimidating than expected. Top it off with a 7-0 record this year against the rival Detroit Tigers, and there’s a lot for local fans to be excited about.
While the Tribe’s surge is impressive, along with the now-four game lead atop the AL Central, this hardly means the team can stand pat. The MLB trade deadline is just ahead on the horizon, and if the Indians want to increase their odds of contending, they still need to consider making a deal or two.
This isn’t to say Cleveland has to sell the farm, giving up major prospects for a half-season rental. We don’t need to revisit anything resembling the 2011 Ubaldo Jimenez ordeal.
That said, it’s betting against high odds that everything clicking for Cleveland right now is sustainable.
The starting rotation is perfectly fine at the moment, so there’s no need to target a flailing club’s ace to try and improve this area. Additionally, the infield appears to be all set, as the starters are all playing well while Jose Ramirez has proved to be an excellent utility addition.
If the Indians are going to acquire help, it should be in one of two areas – the outfield or the bullpen.
Frankly, additions to both would be much welcomed. Right now Cleveland’s pen is enjoying plenty of rest, as the last few games have seen the starters go deep enough to keep relievers at bay. At the same time, extra help would definitely be a good thing.
A popular name within the rumor mill is Oakland A’s reliever Sean Doolittle. After experiencing limited appearances last season, Doolittle has bounced back this year, decreasing his ERA from 3.95 to 3.03. He’d be a big help for Cleveland, but the team will likely have competition. If the asking price starts to get too high, the Indians will have to look elsewhere.
The biggest help for the Tribe would be boosting the outfield depth.
That the Indians are scoring this much while Michael Brantley, arguably their best hitter, recovers from a shoulder injury is astounding. At the same time, the outfield is just way too shallow right now.
Rajai Davis has contributed more than expected considering his age, while rookie Tyler Naquin continues to surprise as one of the team’s better hitters. Outside of these two, though, there just isn’t enough consistency.
Recently, the Indians reportedly expressed interest in Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce. While the team itself is enduring a miserable campaign, Bruce has played well, leading Cincinnati in batting average, hits and RBIs. He’d be a big boost to the offense, but in order to become one, he’ll need to remove Cleveland from his no-trade clause.
The Indians currently sit on Bruce’s list of teams he’d block a trade to, which means they’d have to try and sweeten the pot if they were truly invested in bringing him on board. One would think the jump from a last place club to one sitting in first would be enough, but this remains to be seen.
These are just a couple examples of moves Cleveland could make later this summer, as the team is likely exploring even more options outside these two.
Again, the Tribe doesn’t need to overpay for a last-ditch attempt to get a playoff spot, but a deal or two certainly need to be made. The team is finally starting to live up to the offseason hype, and the only way to keep it up is by adding a few more crucial pieces.
Share 
