The Rays have had trade discussions with the Indians about first baseman/DH Edwin Encarnacion and infielder Yandy Diaz, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports (two links). It isn’t clear if these talks extended beyond anything but due diligence, and Hoynes said that if such a deal is explored, it might come as a second step after other offseason moves for the Tribe. To wit, the Indians would likely have to first deal Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer to free up enough money on the books so the club could potentially eat some of Encarnacion’s salary to facilitate a deal with Tampa Bay.
It would certainly be eye-opening to see the Rays, of all teams, take on a player like Encarnacion who carries such a significant (if short-term) financial commitment. Encarnacion is owed $20MM in 2019, and there is a $5MM buyout on a $20MM contract option for his services in 2020. If Cleveland didn’t absorb any of that money, it stands to reason that the Rays would send along one of their higher-paid players back in the deal to help offset salary. While financial concerns might be paramount in such a trade between two smaller-market teams, Hoynes also suggests that the Tribe could look to acquire some needed bullpen help from a Rays team that is deep in relievers.
The inclusion of a controllable young player like Diaz would also help sweeten the pot for a club taking on Encarncion’s contract. Diaz, 27, has shown some intriguing potential at the plate over 299 Major League PAs, displaying some excellent exit velocity numbers, though also struggling at times to avoid hitting grounders. Diaz has been a third baseman for much of his pro career, though he has enough experience at first base, second base, and all three outfield spots that he fits the Rays’ preferred mold of a versatile, multi-position asset.
With the Tribe looking to get some high-priced veterans off the payroll, it would fascinating to see another low-payroll team like the Rays emerge as a trade partner. Encarnacion would certainly be a fit for the team’s search for another first base/DH type, as his big right-handed bat would perfectly complement the left-handed hitting Ji-Man Choi and Jake Bauers (the incumbent DH and first baseman). Since Bauers is still ticketed as the Rays’ first baseman of the future and Choi has years of control remaining, Encarnacion would represent a short-term rental for a Tampa club that has designs on contending in 2019.
Rays discussed but then quickly realized that EE gets paid a major league salary so they obviously had to bow out of the conversation. Lame.
So Clev called TB to try and move EE? most likely the other way around. Ray’s have a bit of a clue what they are doing year in and year out. Part of it is making money sure, so are 29 other clubs. Should we have paid Price? Garza? Crawford? They do their balest to ball on a budget. I really liked the team we had last year. Though it was young sure going to get expensive I was caught off guard when they blew that up. However I am more than thrilled with the way I see this team going forward. It’s like their roster is 30+ plus deep sometimes. Hopefully they can keep the wind in their sails. The juice is good at the Trop.
*Best No edit feature?
That’s my problem with the Rays ownership, it’s always about the future and never about the present. They build ridiculously great teams on scant budgets then when it’s time to go all in and make a run, they trade key players who are due to get well deserved raises and earn fair compensation. Don’t get me wrong, the Rays have some awesome fans, go to Ferg’s Bar before a game and be prepared to be blown away by the grandiose gestures of support. But when can we come to a consensus and call a spade a spade? These Rays owners are cheapskates! EE or someone of his caliber gets paid because he reliably produces. He would most certainly help them compete but when have the Rays backed up their commitment to compete with a foray of big, but wise, salary expenditures?
interesting
This only makes sense in combination with a Kluber or Bauer trade. By itself, we would be dealing away our starting DH and 3b plus adding money.
Please dont trade Yandy Diaz.
I second this.
Do not understand why they don’t just play Yandy everyday and see what happens
Francona. That’s why.
I just really hope they don’t do to Yandy what they did to Jesus Aguilar. I didn’t think he’d become what he’s turned into for the Brewers, but I thought he was worth more of a chance.
I legitimately believe that Yandy can be a capable starter, and to give up on him in the same way would be ridiculous.
Aguilar had no place to play on the big club, and with contending in mind you can’t just stick a player in and see what happens unless theres no other options on the roster. same for Diaz, I don’t think his bat will stick in the show until he learns to use all fields
Yep, that situation pissed me off to no end. Francona seems to have issues with certain younger players. Heck, he treated Chisenhall the same way for awhile.
Francona is the part of the reason that Indians baseball has been fun the last few years, I don’t quite get everyone’s fascination with Yandy Diaz. Yes, he is an interesting player, but he never was one of our elite prospects. He will likely get a long look this year at 3rd base. We will see if he takes advantage of it.
Exactly, a man without a position and no power.
I can see this trade possibility happening. To get controllable players from the Rays the Tribe has to include someone like Diaz or a pitcher.
I don’t get the Indians end game? Why blow up a good team in a terrible division? They make the playoffs by default.
They arent blowing it up. Not sure why so many people on this site think they are. You can trade Kluber or Bauer and still have one of the better rotations in baseball, and still easily win the division. Im a lifelong Tribe fan, and I am all for trading Kluber as long as the return meets his value. Kluber/Bauer, Cookie, Clev, Biebs and Salazar/Plutko/Mckenzie/Anderson or whoever else is still pretty good.
But you are pairing that with losing Allen, Miller, Brantley… a lot of pieces moving if you combine with potentially dealing Kluber or Bauer along with EE.
It’s not to say they can’t replace those guys, but it does raise eyebrows when you’ve been so close, you have a fearsome rotation, and 2 MVP candidates.
Yes…..
But the Indians have known for 2 years that they could not pay those guys and would lose them. It’s why they brought in Hand to close.
That why Bauer and Kluber are being made available. They’re both cheap for what they produce – so in no way is it a salary dump.
Take Allen, Miller, Brantley, EE, and either Kluber or Bauer off the roster. Add Salazar and some farmhands only. The Indians won the AL Central by 13 games last year. Who beats them out in 2019?
Oh I’d probably still pick them to take division replacing those FA departures and potential trades with Salazar and farmhands… but I’d also ticket them for first round exit. Maybe all of those holes are adequately filled. And to be fair we still need to see the full offseason to see the whole picture. Initial reaction for me though is this is a team you should add to in order to put them over the edge.
Let’s wait until the end of the preseason and see what pieces Cleveland added and subtracted. Then we can decide whether they are better off or not. I believe the Indians front office is smart so I am still hopeful.
Upgrading an outfielder may help over the course of the season but I’d rather have Kluber and Bauer in the playoffs.
But their goal shouldn’t be just to win a bad division. They were im the world series 2 years ago and still have a world series caliber team. I agree they still have a good rotation without Kluber or Bauer, but it’s a weaker rotation that will have a harder time against other AL playoff teams. I don’t think they’ve reached the point where they have to try to rebuild around Lindor and Ramirez.
Didn’t the Indians learn in the late 90s not to trade away young and controllable talent? It befuddles me that Yandy Diaz still hasn’t been given a chance to play everyday for the Tribe. And yet they continually trot out guys like Kipnis and Alonso day in and day out.
The Tribe will talk about anybody not named Lindor, Ramirez or Clevenger. They know they got the Central, want to rework the team to compete with Astro’s , Red Sox and Yankees for AL pennant
Yep because now the Indians have 5 holes to fill after the departure of Gomes: Cather, LF, RF, Righty Relief pitcher, and Lefty Relief pitcher. Other than that we’re golden.
The author said: “If Cleveland didn’t absorb any of that money, it stands to reason that the Rays would send along one of their higher-paid players back in the deal to help offset salary.”
According to Cot’s, the Rays have 1 player currently under contract. All others are in arbitration or team control.
WHO would the Rays send to Cle to offset salary’s????
Kiermaier.
……..ah yup……I’m surprised it’s the first time it’s been mentioned…..10M’year (or thereabouts) is a bit outrageous for KK….big overpay….and they’re stuck with it for 4 more years, I think…..
Matt Duffy may be in play here too (about 3M)….Diaz is pre-arb for 2 more years….Tribe could be interested in Chineros, who may be a bit neglected…..
Indians are looking to cut their payroll they likely won’t take much salary back
Ah but they’re going to have to, in order to move EE…..good player, EE, but waaaaaaaaaay overpriced…..you’ll get the same out of Mark Trumbo, and the O’s will eat most of the coin…..
Same thing with KK….not a bad guy for an essentially a 4th OFer with good defense, but you can get Inciarte, Herrera, and now Hamilton (all pretty much the same guy) for half the price…..
The problem with that is that you’re comparing players based on single traits, when there’s more to it than that. Edwin gets on base and is at least some semblance of a hitter, while Trumbo doesn’t draw walks and is a different type of hitter. They both have power in common, but that’s it.
Kiermaier, Inciarte, Herrera, and Hamilton are all great defenders, but their offensive profiles are somewhat different, and that’s why they’re valued differently. If Hamilton was on par with that group, he would have gotten extended and not non-tendered.
Why are Dolan’s not trying to sell the team if they build a perennial playoff team but need to reduce team payroll that is middle of the pack payroll in mlb?
I’ve been saying that since 2002. This whole “window of contention” strategy is like trying to time the stock market. It will never work.
I don’t care for the Dolan’s, but 2 questions…..
1. If the strategy won’t work, how do you explain the past 3 years?
2. Name a potential owner that will buy the team and happily lose $20-50m a year.
1) how many World Series rings has the strategy won?
2) you have zero financial data to back up that claim. MLB owners don’t release any profit/loss statements year over year.
Having watched this team for 40 years, I’m a little sick of this “if they don’t win the World Series then they suck and we should hate them” attitude. Are you not a baseball fan? Yes, I absolutely want them to win a World Series, but the last three years has been cool – comparable to the 90’s.
If you’ll pardon the double negative, they HAVE NOT won nothing. They have been in a position to be in it to the end every year.
As an aside, Cleveland has deified the 80’s Browns for doing less than what the Indians have done. Did they suck?
Because no one goes to the games until the playoffs?
Just looked it up and this is actually a problem for the indians. I honestly had no idea and just assumed people were showing up for this team.
They’re 21st in regular season attendance. The 3 teams directly in front of them are the Twins and the last place Padres and Rangers. That hurts.
There’s no reason this team isn’t around the top 10 with teams like the Brewers or Nats. That would be almost a million more fans a year. That makes a big difference.
You have to have disposable income to go to a game. The Cleveland economy has been in the tank for years.
April and sometimes May home games don’t help either with the horrible weather we can get. I was at the home opener in 2007. Sat in the stands for like 2 hours waiting for the snow to pass while people were jumping the wall and making snow angels in right center field before they finally called the game. Had tickets the next day too so we stayed in the hotel and woke up to something like 8-10 inches of new snow. The whole series was cancelled and the next series was played in Milwaukee because the weather was still so bad. Granted its not always like that but its not baseball weather in Ohio until late May normally.
I think trading for Jose Martinez of the Cardinals or Nick Castellanos would be better
If the Indians just want to save money, how hilarious would it be if they worked out a deal to Toronto for Morales? That could probably be a straight up swap. The Shatkins haters would explode.
Why don’t the Dolan’s sell the team rather than reduce payroll of a perennial playoff team?
Why do all this? Encarnacion is a better version of Cron, but not four times as good.
Yandy Diaz. Doesn’t make any sense otherwise
Obviously you’re a former GM…that’s EXACTLY how they think……throw out all those WARs and rWOBA and stuff….how much does he produce, how much does he cost……that’s really all that counts (in MOST circumstances)…..
Throw in Ricky Vaughn and it’s a deal.
A trade with Yanks for Andujar. Couple
Decent prospects. Move Kluber or Bauer with EE makes more sense. And not pick up money
The Dolan’s are the worst owners in all of professional sports. They don’t have the means to compete. While pro sports is a business, it is also a hobby to the wealthy. Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cavs is a prime example of a great owner. Illich of the Tigers is another.
The Dolan’s will never curb the opinion of fans that they earned in the early to mid 2000s. Spending once on EE and increasing payroll to mid pack is not going to cut it when every fan saw this coming.
Also, they sold out Chief Wahoo. The Redskins’ Snyder has had the stones to say no to eliminating their logo.
As a life long Indians fan, sell the team.
Never emulate Dan Snyder. Just ask any, literally any, DC football fan.
To solve our wordly problems there has to be some give or take on both sides. These racial team names and logos im more than ok with to see them go. Change it around to any other groups of people and it just doesn’t work it’s horrible in fact. Why it doesn’t seem as bad with Native Americans is part of the problem. FFS we call them Indians! What if those early sailors thought they were going to China or wherever. The Cleveland Chinamen??? it’s effed up man. Redskins is just as if not more turrible. Rant over.
The problem with that theory is not only was the name taken to honor an American Indian baseball player; but that I personally have known over a dozen American Indians raised on reservations that love the name and wear the Wahoo logo. The women in fact get a kick out of it most. (Heck, Elizibeth Taylor loved wearing a Chief Wahoo cap around LA – now there’s a racist…..when she wasn’t out raising millions for AID’s research.) Been told that lots of Chief Wahoo clothing is worn on reservations. Most native American Indians don’t have a problem with it, but the white middle and upper-middle class whites show up and join with radicals to get media attention as they become self-proclaimed spokespeople.
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“Change it around to any other groups of people and it just doesn’t work it’s horrible in fact.”
I will concede your “racial team names and logos” argument the day I see a massive Irish outcry over the sports names and symbols of Notre Dame and the professional basketball team in Boston.
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By the way……
The Dolan family is proud of their Irish heritage.
Additionally, having lived my life in 3 areas of America, I’ve yet to hear a slur against Indians. I’m sure there are some – but don’t see that they’re prevalent in America.
I hate to be the one to break it to you but leprechauns are fictional characters
The team wasn’t named after a Native American. That is a canard. They were named after the 1916 Miracle Braves.
The team and the Cleveland Press held a contest to name the team. No one suggested “Indians” but the team owner loved the Braves name and their amazing finish, so the Press covered for him.
Chief Sockalexis was a popular player in the 1890’s, but he only had one good season. Saying the team was named after him would be like changing the name today to the “Charboneus.”
Just be happy the curse of Chief Wahoo can finally be lifted.
Trade Kluber or Bauer to The Yankees for Andujar and Florial no money exchange, and controllable pieces for a long While. Problem solved.
Plus I believe the Yankees need a 1st baseman send Edwin along with Kluber or Bauer, for a huge return. Blockbuster trade
Hey EE could go at least 2 innings to help the pitching staff. That would more than help justifying his salary
If the Rays are intent to give Jake Bauer and Ji-Man Choi ABs v. RHP (as they should), there is no way they can add EE. This is just due dilligence from their side.
Very slim chance Choi makes the roster next year
Yandy is too good to give up on, but hasn’t been given enough of a chance to be someone that another team would take for eating salary.
I just don’t really get it. I’m a huge Yandy fan, but apparently the Indians don’t see as much in him because they haven’t really given him much of an extended opportunity.
The Dolan’s are not losing money.
Mark down 2023 when Dolan’s sell to cash out at tremendous profit and the city ends up with a glorified apartment building with restaurants and retail instead of a baseball field.
Watch out for the Yankees and the “best GM ever” to swoop “out of nowhere” for EE. Not.