Cleveland Indians: Buyers
Why: We saw Cleveland compete last year just to fall off the table in the second half – at this point last season, the Indians were 45-39 and 1.5 games in front of Detroit for the AL Central lead. But this year's Tigers haven't shown the same punch as last year's squad, and the Indians have just a two-game gap between themselves and a surprising Chicago White Sox squad. The entire AL is clustered around the 42-win mark – all but five of the league's 14 teams were within three games entering Thursday – and a big move or two could help the Indians break free of the pack.
Who they need: There are huge holes at left field and first base. Johnny Damon is well beyond his prime and is mustering just a .201/.279/.329 line in his quest for 3,000 hits. Casey Kotchman hasn't been able to recreate last year's Rays magic and is instead replicating his 2010 in Seattle – his .339 slugging percentage is a full 90 points below the average AL first baseman.
Josh Tomlin has also been a massive disappointment this year, allowing 12 homers in 12 starts and posting a 5.85 ERA, nearly 1.5 times the league average. As with so many teams, rotation help would be welcomed in Cleveland. The Indians have claimed they're looking for pitching help first and bats second.
Who they can deal: The 2011 first-round shortstop Francisco Lindor, the Indians' top prospect, is most likely untouchable. Beyond Lindor, however, the Indians have a few interesting prospects to offer.
Taiwanese right-hander Chen Lee has looked like closer material, striking out at least a batter per inning at every level he's pitched in and owns a sub-2.50 ERA in 38.2 innings at Triple-A. Luigi Rodriguez offers elite speed in the outfield but is likely a few years away – he defines raw.
The best beyond Lindor is most likely right-handed 20-year-old Dillon Howard. He was the Indians' second-round pick in 2011 and has only made two starts in the minor leagues, he has owned a mid-90s fastball since his teenage years. He'll need some work, but it's tough to beat the combination of youth and velocity.
Who is available: Potentially available back-end starting pitchers include John Lannan and Bartolo Colon, and more will become obvious as teams fall out of the race. The Indians could also use Zack Greinke or Cole Hamels, but signs are pointing more toward Texas or Atlanta than Cleveland for the two aces on the market at this point.
The first base crop is about as weak as it's been in years. Most non-contenders have gotten horrible production out of the position. The Twins might be inclined to sell Justin Morneau, but his strong connection to the team may elevate the asking price beyond reason. The Blue Jays insist they're still buyers, but should they change their mind Edwin Encarnacion offers a source of big power.
Much like the Tigers, the Indians could target Seth Smith, Jonny Gomes and Carlos Quentin to help in the outfield. The needs are much the same – find a power bat to give the lineup some depth beyond its top producers, in this case Shin-Soo Choo, Jason Kipnis and Asdrubal Cabrera.
