CLEVELAND, OH – The Indians’ season ended on Sunday with an 8-2 loss to the Nationals. Cleveland lost its’ last fives games and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
This Tribe looked tired in the final week of the season. They had scratched and clawed their way into playoff contention, but they didn’t have enough to get over the hump.
Last Monday they were tied with Tampa Bay for a Wild Card spot. They were eliminated from the playoffs four days later.
There are plenty of reasons why the Indians didn’t make the playoffs. Now that the season is over, the focus turns to this winter. How active will the Indians be in free agency? Will they try to re-sign Yasiel Puig?
Puig was considered a rental when the Indians traded for him in July. The veteran outfielder has enjoyed his time in Cleveland and is open to returning to the Indians. The 28-year-old posted a .297 batting average (54-for-182) with two home runs and 23 RBI in 49 games since the trade.
We loaded the bases. Yasiel Puig cleared them.#RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/zAWtjmDBNh
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) September 23, 2019Puig is ultra-talented and was a good soldier in 2019 with the Reds and Indians. He’s obviously trying to do everything he can to show the rest of the league that he deserves a big contract. Will Puig be more of a distraction after he signs a long-term deal?
Every team interested in the former All-Star will have to answer that question. The Indians aren’t expected to have serious interest in Puig this offseason. They like him as a player, but it’s hard to envision them spending $15-17 million per year on Puig.
Is he worth the investment?
Oscar Mercado is a promising young outfielder that should be a big part of the future. Daniel Johnson posted a .306/.371/.496 slash line in 84 games for Triple-A Columbus. He’s extremely athletic and is a capable outfielder. Johnson has a bright future and there’s a real chance he starts the 2020 season in the big leagues.
The Indians also have Jordan Luplow, Bradley Zimmer and Greg Allen, who are all capable of playing left field.
Should the Tribe keep Puig or use that money to boost the bullpen and to sign a veteran infielder?
The Indians have plenty of salary coming off of the books. Trading Trevor Bauer opened up some space. It’s safe to say Danny Salazar won’t be on the books in 2020. The club will also decline Jason Kipnis’ $16 million team option.
There’s a scenario where the market for Puig isn’t what he expects. He’s made it clear that he wants to win. Staying on a team that has plenty of talented players including Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Carlos Santana and Franmil Reyes could be appealing to Puig.
Would he sign a short-term deal? Would the Indians offer him a 2-year, $30 million contract?
If Puig’s market isn’t as active as he expects, a short-term offer from Cleveland might be something he’d consider. It would allow him to test free agency again in his prime and would give the Indians the flexibility they look for with any contract they sign.
Puig isn’t perfect. He’s as talented as anyone on the baseball field, but his over-aggressiveness can hurt his team.
Terry Francona enjoyed having Puig on the roster and in the clubhouse. He fit in well with his teammates. He quickly became a fan favorite.
There will probably be a team that pays Puig more than what the Indians are willing to offer. That’s not a knock on the Tribe. The Reds traded Puig because they didn’t plan on making him a qualifying offer.
Puig’s market will likely determine how interested the Indians are in his services. It’s just one of the many interesting storylines surrounding the Tribe this offseason.
