Cleveland Sports Forum

*The Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Indians might be the teams most motivated to trade for Machado — the D-Backs because their competitive window is starting to close, the Indians because their title drought will reach 70 years if they fail to win the World Series this season.

Ken Rosenthal

Aguilar, as in All-Star?

The best All-Star stories are the out-of-nowhere stories. Kemp, perhaps more than any player, fits that description. So does Muncy, whose 1.024 OPS would rank fourth in the majors if he had enough plate appearances to qualify for the league leaders. Ditto for Brewers first baseman Jesús Aguilar, who is just five PAs shy of ranking fifth with a .998 OPS.

Aguilar, like Muncy, would appear a longshot to make the NL team — the Atlanta Braves’ Freddie Freeman is the runaway and deserving leader in the fan balloting at first while the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt got hot in June after a dismal May. Still, Aguilar is second in fWAR only to center fielder Lorenzo Cain among the position players for the first-place Brewers.

“It would be a great honor for me, to be a part (of the game) with those superstars,” Aguilar said on Monday in a phone interview. “I never imagined it would be that close. It would be my dream come true.”

The Brewers claimed Aguilar on waivers from the Indians on Feb. 2, 2017. The Indians had just signed Edwin Encarnacion as a free agent and already had Carlos Santana at first base. Aguilar, then 27, had an .818 OPS in 1,647 career plate appearances at Triple A. But he was out of options — and like Muncy before the Oakland Athletics released him — had not distinguished himself in brief major league auditions.

The Indians had liked Aguilar — Triple A manager Chris Tremie had predicted to club officials that Aguilar would become a quality major leaguer — but they bumped him off their 40-man roster when they claimed infielder/outfielder Richie Shaffer, whom they designated for assignment four days later.

“It was unusual to see a hitter of his caliber on waivers,” Brewers GM David Stearns said. “We didn’t have a positional need. But we figured we might as well get the guy in the organization. He was deserving of a 40-man spot in our estimation.”

Aguilar forced his way onto the Opening Day roster in both 2017 and ‘18, and began playing regularly this season when first baseman Eric Thames suffered a torn UCL in his left thumb on April 24. Thames moved into more of an outfield role after returning on June 11, leading to the demotion of Domingo Santana to Triple A.

Aguilar said Tremie texted him a week ago, saying, “We believed in you. We knew you could do this. We’re happy for you.” Chris Antonetti, the Indians’ president, echoed those sentiments, calling Aguilar “a really good teammate, a really good guy.”

Yet from 2014 to ‘16, Aguilar played almost entirely at Triple A for the Indians, wondering if he would ever develop into the player he is today.

“Kind of,” he said. “I wasn’t 100 percent sure. (The Indians) didn’t give me the chance. They thought I could be an everyday player. They made me think that way. But until I got here, I wasn’t.”

Stearns claims no particular genius for his acquisition of Aguilar, giving all the credit to the player and saying other waiver claims did not work out as well. Antonetti, meanwhile, knows the Indians made a move that was entirely logical at the time, only to learn once more the game is forever humbling.

The All-Star Game is for Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and the rest of the sport’s biggest names, but it’s always inspiring to see players who rose from obscurity make it, too. Here’s to Aguilar, Muncy and all the out-of-nowhere players who merit the trip to Washington, D.C.

More on Machado:



According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, trade talks between the Diamondbacks and Orioles about Manny Machado have been "consistent."

This comes on the heels of a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that pointed to Arizona and Cleveland as the "most motivated suitors" for the 25-year-old star infielder.

There are believed to be at least six other teams in the hunt, including the Dodgers, Cubs, and Phillies. Machado, an impending free agent, is batting .311/.378/.565 with 21 home runs and 59 RBI in 83 games this season for a last-place Orioles outfit. He'd be a massive offensive upgrade at shortstop for the Diamondbacks, and just about any other club.

José Ramírez, Francisco Lindor and their new place in the Cleveland sports scene

Zack Meisel Jul 3, 2018 5

KANSAS​ CITY, Mo.​ — As​ soon as the baseball​ disappeared beyond the​ bright yellow Sprint​ ad​ on the​ wall in​​ right field, Francisco Lindor could slow to a leisurely stroll around the bases.

With one swift swing, responsible for producing four runs, Lindor offered a reminder to any Cleveland sports fan still wallowing in the aftermath of LeBron James’ re-relocation: There remains some marquee athletic talent in this sports-crazed town.

No one can match the clout LeBron carries or attract the spotlight he helped to shine on a city once starved for a championship. For some, that sense of emptiness might persist past the start of training camp or the first playoff game in October.

The Indians have some talent worthy of the extra eyeballs that might not be glued to the action taking place in the building adjacent to Progressive Field. On the left side of the infield stand two of the top position players in the sport, two guys who rank among the league leaders in a plethora of categories, two guys who captivate audiences with their play and their personalities, two All-Stars bound to call Cleveland home for at least another few years.

Lindor was the flashy first-round pick, the slam-dunk prospect who has rarely experienced failure as a professional. He was a Rookie of the Year runner-up. He’s the face of New Balance, a shortstop with a knack for seizing the moment, as evidenced by his ALDS grand slam against the Yankees and his island-buzzing home run in his native Puerto Rico.

Ramírez has blown past every expectation along his journey to stardom, stunning evaluators, casual observers and his peers with his ability. The guy who once struggled to keep Lindor’s seat warm has blossomed into one of the most imposing forces at the plate. His teammates say they aren’t surprised by his power, but no one, including those in the Indians’ front office, pegged him as a 40-homer guy.

Lindor has the trademark smile. Ramírez has the signature strut, the showy stride that saps any mimickers of their energy supply. Every pregame session in the clubhouse is a must-see event. As players rest on couches or sit at their lockers and scroll through Instagram, Ramírez bounces around the room like a crazed gnat, slapping the backs of teammates’ heads, challenging them to table tennis matches or “Mario Kart” races.

Ramírez walks around the clubhouse, dugout and infield with a carefree spirit. But those who know him well stress that he’s obsessed with winning and destroying the opposition. That doggedness can be overlooked when he’s rattling off new English words he’s learned or swiping the bullpen catcher’s phone during a FaceTime call.

But just consider Ramírez’s answer when The Athletic asked him if he hopes to earn an invite to the Home Run Derby.

“I’ve wanted to do it,” he said, via team interpreter Will Clements. “If they put me there, I would win it.”

That sort of innocent bravado is refreshing to hear, especially in baseball, a sport saddled with out-of-touch unwritten rules.

As for the on-field credentials, it’s a near-impossible task to pinpoint a weakness in either player’s game. Their stat lines ooze substance.

Ramírez: .298/.402/.612, 24 homers, 24 doubles, 15 stolen bases, 171 wRC+, 5.7 WAR
Lindor: .298/.373/.581, 23 homers, 27 doubles, 10 stolen bases, 158 wRC+, 5.0 WAR

They both rank in the top four in baseball in homers and WAR. Lindor has scored seven more runs than any other player. Ramírez has walked more often than he has struck out. Both guys rank second in the American League at their position in defensive runs saved.

And yet, Corey Kluber recently spotted Lindor speaking with a couple of teammates about ways he can perfect his swing.

“For a guy who is doing as well as he is to feel like he’s not where he wants to be and then to go seek out help to fix it, that’s pretty impressive for somebody who’s as young as he is,” Kluber said.

Fans clamor to admire athletes who boast such a blend of confidence, energy and a desire to be great. No one can compete with the legacy LeBron has established in Cleveland, from his Northeast Ohio roots to his return to that unforgettable Sunday evening in June two years ago. (That said, a thriving, Super Bowl-winning quarterback can certainly carve out a similar spot in Cleveland sports lore.)

Lindor is under team control through the 2021 season. Ramírez is signed through 2023. They seem intent on turning heads for at least the next few years. Maybe they’ll turn a few more now that there’s a bit of a void in the city’s sports landscape.

Diamond Dialogue: OK, fine, let’s talk about those Manny Machado-Indians rumors

T.J. Zuppe Jul 5, 2018 5
The​ following is​ a recent​ email exchange between The​ Athletic Indians writers​ T.J.​ Zuppe​ and Zack​ Meisel.​ You​​ can also catch their weekly conversations about the Tribe on their podcast, The Selby Is Godcast.

TJ: Zack, you and I have had the same view on future Indians third baseman Manny Machado since the start of the season, and I think those thoughts have only gotten stronger as the season has progressed.

Would he make the Indians a stronger team? Absolutely. Would he, given that the division crown is all but assured at this point, offer a significantly better shot to win a championship in a five- or seven-game series than an elite, controllable reliever or outfielder would? Hmm, I’m not sure.

And if you’re going to pay premium prospect prices for the superstar infielder, shouldn’t I be completely sold on that being clear?

Still, the rumor machine hasn’t stopped linking the Tribe and Orioles on a number of fronts. And those whispers have ignited the interest of the fans as they hear things like “motivated” used in reports of their interest.

So, instead of asking you if they will acquire Machado — no, really, will they? — I’ll ask you a better question: Is there a scenario where it makes sense?

Zack: Yes. But first, I would argue that there is no trade that would definitively offer the Indians a significantly better shot to win a championship.

The sample size is too small and an individual player can only have so much influence on a particular series. So, when considering trade scenarios with the Indians, it’s important to think about the future. They’ll have sizable holes in the bullpen next year (and they still have a need this year), so they’re primarily seeking players with multiple years of control. If that fails, they’ll entertain rentals. But they won’t part with top prospects for rentals… unless those rentals also come with other pieces.

So, a non-top prospect for Machado? Sign ’em up. A top prospect for Machado and friends? You have their attention…

TJ: Yeah, see, but there’s a problem when you bring that stuff up.

It’s a complex issue that can’t just be answered by a simple yes or no. If you are to say, “They shouldn’t trade for Machado,” people take that as you saying they don’t need him or he wouldn’t make them better. Of course he’d make them better. There’s not a team on the planet that he wouldn’t make better. At the right cost, maybe for perceived prospects that rival what the Diamondbacks gave up for J.D. Martinez last year, OK. But if dealing for Machado hinders a chance to get one of those other sizable needs they have, what did they really solve? That’s the bigger dilemma in my mind — on top of giving up 6+ years of control for a guy you pray gets hot over a 2-3 week stretch in October.

Zack: He wouldn’t make the Warriors better.

If the Yankees had a 70-year title drought and a medium-sized need for an infielder, sure, sacrifice the farm and go for it. They could just find a replacement (or re-sign Machado) over the winter. The Indians can’t do that. Their future outlook is inherently tethered to their ability to draft and develop. So, they can’t mortgage the future for a luxury. They have more pressing issues in the outfield and bullpen anyway.


Is there a scenario where a Manny Machado trade to the Indians makes sense? (Evan Habeeb/USA Today Sports)
TJ: Or, they could do what was suggested on Twitter: Give up one middle-of-the-road prospect for Machado … oh, and agree to take back Chris Davis (.489 OPS) and his $92 million remaining salary beyond 2018. LOLOL.

Zack: [dusts off the economics degree sitting in a box in the closet in my office] Ah, now see, this is what we call a sunk cost. The Orioles should aim to acquire a top-of-the-line prospect instead of just clearing some salary. This is their best asset to jump-start a rebuild (and, really, they should have traded Machado a year ago).

What’s your threshold in terms of a prospect you’d part with for just Machado? If no Mejia, McKenzie or Bieber, what about Yu Cheng? Willi Castro? Nolan Jones? Bobby Bradley? Brian Giles? Sean Casey? Richie Sexson?

TJ: Can they trade Ryder Ryan again?

Maybe Cheng or Castro, just because they’ve got solid middle-infield depth. Even that seems foolish given you’re getting nothing for Machado in the offseason. A midseason trade means no qualifying offer. That means no draft pick compensation. He’s going to walk away with nothing more than a T-shirt (no, really, if you play in Cleveland for at least three seconds, someone makes a T-shirt). Oh, and I suppose a shot at ring. But if I deal either one, that might stop me from landing Brad Hand, Kyle Barraclough, Raisel Iglesias or any of the other 50 arms we discussed during the Great Bullpen Fire of 2018. Also, a rental doesn’t help fix anything beyond 2018.

My guess is they don’t have any interest in an ailing Danny Salazar, right? What about Brady Aiken? …

Zack: Well, it sort of depends on the ripple effect of a Machado trade. (And, again, I’d be surprised if they acquired Machado without also acquiring an Orioles reliever.) In this scenario, would Jason Kipnis move to the outfield? I can’t see them just stationing him and his massive salary on the bench, especially since he’s under contract for next year. I don’t know that this makes me any more comfortable with the outfield situation. You’re right. (Do not even mention the name Adam Jones, who boasts a sterling minus-18 defensive runs saved in center field this season and a walk rate of 2.9 percent, which is against the Constitution.)

If we’re talking about the Indians sending the Orioles a solid, unspectacular prospect for Machado, I still think there are other, more desperate, more carefree teams that could top the Indians’ offer.

TJ: Right. I’d probably agree to a reasonable combination under the Mejia-Bieber-McKenzie level — that could change if they start adding some relievers to the deal — but I would imagine there are more motivated squads. That is why I think it’s smart to continue to monitor the situation. If they end up dealing Machado for below market value, the Tribe front office will be kicking themselves for years. Occasionally teams fall in love with your prospects specifically, and they end up making deals that don’t make sense to anyone else. Maybe you hit the lottery and you have that talent.

Still, the more I look at his numbers, the more I see why it’s easier to get heart-eyes over him. And while you’re right to wonder what they’d do with Kipnis, I’d also say that’s pretty far down the list of important things this kind of trade could impact.

Zack: I just mean that trading for Machado doesn’t solve the outfield issue, and with Bradley Zimmer and Lonnie Chisenhall out for the foreseeable future (and unreliable upon their returns), that’s something that needs to be addressed.

TJ: Fair. I mean, they can probably get two of three things done: Machado, the bullpen and the outfield. Machado is an incredible piece to consider but probably more of a luxury. And I’m really starting to think outfield might become a bigger need. I’m already looking at intriguing names like Curtis Granderson, Adam Duvall, Andrew McCutchen, Adam Jones (kidding) and a slew of others. With the way he swings against the Indians, think the Twins would deal Eddie Rosario within the division? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Zack: Wait, those are intriguing names? Is it 2012? No wonder “Call Me Maybe” has been stuck in my head all day.

TJ: Ahh, but do you remember the remix?

Hey, I just called you.

And this is crazy.

But here’s some prospects.

Now, trade me Manny?

Cleveland Indians re-sign Melky Cabrera to minor-league deal; he'll report to Class AAA Columbus


Updated 5:30 PM; Posted 4:16 PM


The Indians have re-signed veteran outfielder Melky Cabrera to a minor league deal and sent him to Class AAA Columbus.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com phoynes@cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the wake of Lonnie Chisenhall's left calf injury, the Indians have re-signed veteran outfielder Melky Cabrera and sent him to Class AAA Columbus on a minor league deal.

The Indians originally signed Cabrera to a minor league deal in April. They promoted him to the big leagues on May 20 and designated him for assignment on June 14 when Brandon Guyer came off the disabled list.

But with Chisenhall being lost for an undetermined amount of time with an injury to his left calf, and Bradley Zimmer sidelined in Columubus for four to six weeks with a right shoulder injury, the Indians need some outfield protection.

Cabrera, 33, hit .207 (12-for-58) with five doubles and 11 RBI in 17 games for the Indians. He hit .286 (12-for-42) with four RBI at Columbus.

Bottom of the barrel.

Tyler Naquin and Francisco Lindor analyze the throw, tag and ‘deke’ that erased a potential threat


By T.J. Zuppe 2h ago 2
The​ long, powerful​ left-handed swing​ of Matt Olson sent​ Tyler Naquin immediately​ sprinting toward the​ right-field​ line.

The 3-2​ pitch from​​ Marc Rzepczynski wasn’t scalded, but the 78 mph well-placed looper to the left of Naquin was certainly ticketed for stand-up double territory. That said, every ball hit to that part of the park gets a right fielder’s mind to drift toward the upcoming play at second base.

Naquin is no different.

“(It’s a) guaranteed throw,” he said before The Athletic could even finish the question. “It just builds up. The whole time running to it, it just builds up. You’ve got to stay under control.”
The Indians’ sixth-inning lead was three, but with just one down in the inning, a runner reaching second could lead to some additional tension. Zach McAllister was warming in the bullpen, but a few more hits could have Terry Francona dipping deeper into his improving relief group long before reaching the final three innings.

That’s not the way any manager wants to start a long homestand.

Olson quickly hit the bag at first as Naquin was nearing the slowing ball. The lumbering slugger never slowed his pace, sensing an extra-base hit was within his grasp.

“I didn’t know if he thought he had a guaranteed double or not, so I’m just going to come up and be as quick as I can,” Naquin said. “He had already rounded the base, so of course he’s going to try to go for two.”
Typically in this situation, Naquin would go for a spin-throw, opting to pick up the ball and fire toward the infield in mid-spin, a natural motion for a right-handed thrower moving toward his left. But as he approached the ball, he quickly decided to make an on-fly adjustment.

“It was kind of kind of dying on me,” Naquin said. “I kind of wasn’t able to catch it at a good angle.”

At that point, Francisco Lindor had reached second in anticipation of the incoming toss. Knowing Naquin has a terrific arm, he watched the play unfold from the second base bag.

“He saw that he had a chance not spinning and making a good throw to second,” Lindor said. “That’s exactly what he did. He made the adjustment as the play was happening. That’s what good outfielders do.”

Olson was just about halfway to second before Naquin successfully reached the ball, grabbed it and shifted his body into throwing position. He didn’t just need a strong throw. He needed an accurate one.

“When I got to the baseball, I knew I could put enough on it,” Naquin said. “Olson, he’s not a blazer. He can run, but he’s not a blazer. I knew if I could get it close, one of those infielders could handle the baseball.”

The outfielder’s strong arm made up for the extra time it took to reach the broken-bat liner. As Olson neared second base, the throw closed the gap. But as it approached Lindor, the middle-infielder didn’t offer many visual cues that the toss was nearing the base. He casually stood on the far side of second, waiting until the last possible split-second to snag Naquin’s throw.

As a result, Olson seemed to be unaware that the play would be approaching bang-bang territory. The Athletics’ first baseman never left his feet to safely procure the double.

“Those infielders always do that junk,” Naquin said with a sly smile. “It’s awesome. They always sit there and deke them out.”
Those sorts of misdirections, however, rarely lead to anything of substance.

You will frequently see infielders maintain a tag well beyond the time necessary to apply an effective tag, forcing the runner to request time before brushing the dirt off their uniform. You will occasionally witness a fielder place a phantom tag on a runner when a ball sails into the outfield on an errant throw. You might even see them fake a catch on a stealing attempt when the ball has actually been put in play.

But this time, Lindor’s efforts to trick Olson appeared to catch the hitter off guard. In the blink of an eye, the star shortstop flicked his wrist, caught Naquin’s toss and slapped the tag on Olson.

“I think it surprised him a little bit because Frankie was just standing there,” Naquin said. “(Bang-bang), he barely beat it. But making him rush like that is going to cause other things to happen.”

And so it did.

As the glove connected with Olson’s right leg, his momentum — and maybe his initial shock — began to carry him off the bag. Just as Lindor lost connection, Olson came completely off of second base. Lindor attempted to reapply his tag, but his second swipe came after the runner successfully reached back to reconnect with the elusive base.
“I tagged him and I tried to be as quick as I could,” Lindor said. “But then I just took off the tag, instead of just leaving it on him. That’s what they keep on telling us: ‘Leave the tag on the guy. Leave the tag on the guy.’ I tried to be quick and I forgot about leaving the tag on him. I saw his foot off the bag and I was like, ‘Ah, I missed it.’ ”

Lindor’s reaction told the same story.

After second base umpire Eric Cooper signaled safe, the shortstop yelled in agony and pumped his arms in despair and disappointment.

“You could tell by his reaction that maybe he missed his chance,” Francona said.

Or did he?

After a slow-motion shot on replay revealed that Lindor had possibly left his first tag on long enough to catch Olson slightly off the bag, the Indians asked for a challenge, sending the umpiring crew to the headsets.

The stadium soon filled with loud cheers when a key angle revealed the truth.

https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads ... 2810/5.jpg

Still, Lindor lamented even needing the additional help.

“I knew I had a chance of getting him,” he said, “but it was just, it would make it a lot easier on the umpire, it would make it a lot easier on me, a lot easier on everybody, if I just kept the tag on him when he’s off the bag.”

Lindor eagerly focused his eyes toward the crowd around home plate. He peered in at the huddle, nervously chomping on his gum as he awaited an answer. In the dugout, Francona spun his Dubble Bubble in his fingers while waiting for a ruling, preparing the next wad as he continued to wear out the concoction already present behind his lips.

Within moments, the replay umpires in New York concurred with the crowd’s reaction. The call was overturned, and Lindor pumped his right fist and slapped his glove above his head, looking out toward Naquin in right.

The duo had successfully turned what appeared to be an easy double into the inning’s second out. Francona would immediately emerge to replace Rzepczynski, the bullpen would work around a solo run the next inning, and the offense explode for a four-spot in the bottom of the seventh to successfully put the game out of reach.

Given Friday’s score would eventually resemble a blowout, it might be easy to lose sight of the Naquin-Lindor play. Maybe the Indians even win comfortably without the strong throw and surprising tag. But if Olson reaches second with incident, perhaps he changes the course of the sixth inning. Maybe the final three innings of the weekend opener might’ve had a different conclusion.

Regardless, Naquin was pleased to team up with the superstar infielder for his first outfield assist since his rookie campaign of 2016. And while Lindor will earn the bulk of the credit for his strong deke and quick hands, Naquin also played a vital role in erasing the scoring threat.

“That’s a lot of fun,” he said with a hint of relief. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to throw someone out. I’ve got all this arm strength, I can’t even use it, yet.”

Of course, it helps when your target is, as Naquin indicated, “probably the best shortstop in the game.”

“I’m just going to get the ball to him,” Naquin added. “I’m just going to put it somewhere around the bag and let him do his thing. Let him do what Frankie does in the infield. The rest, he keeps that tag on him, bang. It’s a big moment, you know?”

World leaders: Which teams are benefitting the most — and the least — from their international signings?


By Cliff Corcoran Jul 3, 2018 41
Monday​ marked the​ start of​ Major League Baseball’s 2018-19​ international signing period,​ the period during​ which​ teams can​ spend their​​ allotted international bonus pool money to sign amateur talent from countries other than the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) and Canada. With that in mind, we pored over the 30 major league rosters to see which team is currently getting the largest contribution from its own international amateur signees.

The list below ranks each of the 30 teams according to the number of players on its active 25-man roster who were signed as international amateurs and subsequently developed exclusively by that team. Within each group, the teams are ranked by the wins above replacement total (Baseball-Reference version, a.k.a. bWAR) accumulated by all such players who have appeared in a game for that team this season. Cuban defectors who played in the island’s Serie Nacional do not qualify as they had already played at the highest level in their native country and more closely resemble professional free agents on the international market, despite their amateur status.

Rosters and statistics are current as of the morning of July 3.

None

30. Oakland A’s (N/A)

The A’s are the only team in the major leagues that has not had a single international free agent signed and developed by that team appear in a major league game this season. The A’s are also the only team that does not have such a player on its 40-man roster. The only such player to appear in a game for the A’s last year was Venezuelan corner man Renato Núñez, who went 6-for-36 (.167) and appeared in a total of 17 major league games for the A’s over the last two seasons. Núñez opened 2018 on the disabled list with a hamstring strain and was claimed off waivers by the Rangers in April.

29. Reds (-0.7 bWAR): Wandy Peralta (mL) Jesus Reyes (mL)

Dominican lefty Wandy Peralta posted a 117 ERA+ in 69 games for the Reds last year, but was optioned back to Triple-A this June after compiling a 6.14 ERA in 37 appearances. Double-A catcher Jesus Reyes was called up for a single game in late May, but has yet to make his major-league debut.

28. Brewers (-0.2): Orlando Arcia (mL)

The younger brother of former Twins outfielder Oswaldo Arcia, Venezuelan shortstop Orlando Arcia was Milwaukee’s top prospect, and one of the top prospects in all of baseball, two years ago. As a sophomore last year, he was worth 2.5 bWAR thanks to his outstanding fielding and a developing bat, but he never got his bat going this year and was sent back to Triple-A on Sunday nursing a 30 OPS+. He is still just 23, so there’s still hope that he’ll return to fulfill his promise, but his absence leaves the Brewers without a homegrown international free agent at the major league level.

27. Blue Jays (0.0): Richard Ureña (mL)

Twenty-two-year-old Dominican infielder Richard Ureña appeared in 11 games for the Blue Jays earlier this year, failing to register positively or negatively per bWAR.

26. Marlins (0.1): José Ureña (DL), Jarlin García (mL)

Ureña, a 26-year-old Dominican righty, was the Marlins’ default Opening Day starter this year and lived up to that status by being exactly replacement level through 16 starts before being sidelined by an impingement in his pitching shoulder in late June. His 25-year-old countryman, García, posted an 85 ERA+ in 51 innings as a swingman before being farmed out in early June.

25. Padres (0.2): Franmil Reyes (mL), Franchy Cordero (DL), Dinelson Lamet (DL)

These three young Dominicans possess considerable talent. Unfortunately, it might be a while before Padres fans get another look at any of them. Pegged for a breakout season in 2018, 25-year-old righty Lamet instead has his entire season wiped out by Tommy John surgery. Cordero briefly impressed with his raw tools, but is out with bone spurs in his right elbow and might need surgery. Reyes, meanwhile, drew just four walks in 96 plate appearances in his first major league opportunity and was sent back to Triple-A a week and a half ago.

24. Diamondbacks (0.3): Silvino Bracho (mL), Sócrates Brito (mL)

Venezuelan righty Bracho has been excellent in his 12 major league appearances this season, but was optioned back to Triple A on Monday. Dominican outfielder Brito was just 2-for-17 in his brief call-up at the end of May, but has hit .355/.410/.592 in 271 plate appearances for Triple-A Reno, including a .414/.485/.874 line since being sent back down in early June.

One

23. Orioles (-0.7): Jonathan Schoop

Schoop was a deserving All-Star last year, hitting .293/.338/.503 with 32 home runs and playing an above-average second base to compile 5.2 bWAR and finish 12th in the American League MVP voting. This year, however, the 26-year-old’s game has cratered on both sides of the ball, dropping the Curaçao native nearly a win below replacement level.

22. Tigers (-0.6): Dixon Machado

Also: Sandy Báez (mL)

Joe Jiménez was signed as an amateur free agent, but as a Puerto Rican subject to the draft, he didn’t count as an international signing, merely an undrafted free agent. Infielder Machado, signed out of Venezuela, was a proper international amateur free agent, but he has been lousy as Detroit’s primary second baseman this year and is losing playing time to Georgia’s Niko Goodrum (that’s Georgia the state, not the country). Dominican righty Báez’s only major-league appearance remains a quality appearance of 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief against the Yankees on June 4.

21. Mariners (-0.5): Félix Hernández

Wednesday will mark the 16th anniversary of the day the Mariners signed Hernández out of his native Venezuela. Hernández was just 16 years old himself at the time. He’s now twice as old, and the heavy major-league workloads of his early twenties are manifesting in a sharp decline in his early thirties. The Mariners have no other players on their 40-man roster who meet the qualifications for this list.

20. Rockies (-0.3): Raimel Tapia

Also: Antonio Senzatela (mL), Carlos Estévez (DL)

Tapia is a toolsy, 24-year-old Dominican outfielder who was widely regarded as a top-100 prospect entering last season and has since been very productive at Triple A, but has yet to get a fair chance to stick at the major league level and only just made his 2018 debut for Colorado on Sunday.

19. Giants (1.2): Reyes Moronta

Also: Miguel Gómez (mL)

Dominican righty Moranta has been a nice rookie surprise out of the Giants’ bullpen this season, posting a 1.91 ERA over 39 appearances, though his high walk rate bears watching. His countryman, and fellow 25-year-old, Gómez is little more than organizational infield depth, though he did get called on in that role in late May.

18. Cardinals (1.5): Carlos Martínez

Also: Alex Reyes (DL)

It was difficult to decide what to do with Martínez given the strictures of this list. He was originally signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Red Sox, only to have confusion over his identity (he had grown up with his uncle’s last name, Matias) prompt MLB to void his contract and declare him ineligible for one year. To qualify for this list, a player must have only been part of one major-league organization since signing as an international amateur. However, Martínez was never really part of the Red Sox organization. He never got his bonus from the team, never played for one of their affiliated clubs, and was once again available to all 30 teams before signing with the Cardinals at the age of 18 in April 2010. The Red Sox deserve credit for having identified Martínez as a prospect, but I’ll give the Cardinals credit for signing and developing him.

Reyes, who is out for the year following surgery to repair a torn latissimus dorsi muscle, is an unusual case as well. Though born and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, he moved to his grandmother’s house in the Dominican Republic at the age of 17 to establish residency to better position himself for a professional baseball career.

17. White Sox (1.7): Yolmer Sánchez

Always a fine fielder, Sánchez had his best season with the bat last year, hitting .267/.319/.413 (98 OPS+) over 534 plate appearances and compiling 3.5 bWAR for Chicago. Now 26, the Venezuelan infielder is having a similar season as the White Sox’s primary third baseman, though his value in the field has been limited by the move from middle infield to the hot corner.

16. Cubs (2.2): Willson Contreras

Also: Jen-Ho Tseng (mL)

Another 26-year-old Venezuelan, Contreras is one of many players who has seen his power decline this season, likely because the ball simply isn’t traveling as far. Indeed, his home runs are way down, but he already has a career-high five triples and is four shy of his career-high in doubles.

Taiwanese righty Tseng was an odd choice for a spot-start in early July as he had an 8.04 ERA in six Triple-A starts before getting that call. He lasted just two lousy innings for the major league club and has since posted a 7.11 ERA in nine more starts since returning to Iowa.

15. Astros (4.2): José Altuve

Also: Reymin Guduan (mL)

The diminutive Venezuelan Altuve is the defending AL MVP and having a comparable season this year. His 4.2 bWAR is the third-highest total of any player on this list and, by itself, outranks the cumulative bWAR totals of the “homegrown” international signees of all but three other teams. With 34.1 career bWAR, Altuve has contributed more to the team that signed and developed him than any other player on this list.

Dominican lefty Guduan is control-challenged bullpen depth who made a single appearance with Houston in mid-June.

Two

14. Angels (0.5): Jaime Barria, Eduardo Paredes

Panamanian righty Barria has posted a 119 ERA+ through his first 11 career starts with the Angels. For the purposes of these rankings, that contribution has been undermined by the 7.71 ERA posted in 13 relief appearances by Venezuelan righty Eduardo Paredes (not to be confused with Edward Paredes, the Dominican lefty for the cross-town Dodgers, who, just to confuse things further, was in the Angels’ organization in 2016).

13. Dodgers (0.5): Kenley Jansen, Yimi García

Also: Pedro Báez (DL), Dennis Santana (DL), Julio Urías (DL)

Famously signed out of Curaçao as a catcher, a position he played for the Netherlands in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Jansen has evolved into one of the best closers in baseball, and retains that status now that he has recovered from a rough start to the season. Dominican righties García and Santana undermine Jansen’s contribution with a combined 21 2/3 innings of a 6.23 ERA, but Báez compensates for his countrymen with his usual above-average, albeit glacially slow, set-up work. Báez is currently out with biceps tendonitis, Santana with a rotator cuff issue. Mexican lefty Julio Urías, meanwhile, is still working his way back from anterior capsule surgery in his pitching shoulder, an injury from which a return is no sure thing. A former teenage phenom, Urías will turn 22 in August.

12. Twins (0.8): Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco

Also: Miguel Sanó (mL), Fernando Romero (mL)

Of the four current major leaguers who were born in Germany, Kepler is the only one who is actually German (the others—Aaron Altherr, Edwin Jackson, and Bruce Maxwell—are sons of members of the U.S. armed services and entered pro ball via the draft). Last year, Polanco and Sanó combined for 4.7 bWAR as the primary left side of the Minnesota infield, with Sanó making his first All-Star Game and starring in the Home Run Derby. This year, Polanco missed the first half of the season with a performance-enhancing drug suspension after testing positive for Stanazolol (he made his season debut with the Twins Tuesday night), while Sanó battled injury and poor performance, leading to his demotion in mid-June. As for 23-year-old righty Romero, he has shown promise in his first 10 major league starts. If all goes well for Minnesota, all three of these homegrown Dominicans will finish strong for the major-league team renewing the Twins’ optimism for 2019.

11. Red Sox (1.0): Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers

Also: Tzu-Wei Lin (mL)

Bogaerts, a 25-year-old Aruban shortstop, and Devers, a 21-year-old Dominican third baseman, form the left side of the Boston infield. Lin signed out of Taiwan in 2012 for $2.05 million, which is roughly what the Reds paid the 14th pick in the Rule 4 draft that year. That Reds pick, high-school righty Nick Travieso, has yet to climb above Double-A. Tzu, by comparison, has played 41 major league games and is hitting .299/.350/.445 as the strong side of a shortstop platoon in Triple-A.

10. Indians (6.2): José Ramírez, Erik González [Corrected to include Ramírez]

Also: Danny Salazar (DL), Francisco Mejía (mL)

American League MVP candidate Ramírez leads all players on this list with 5.8 bWAR through Tuesday’s action. The 25-year-old Dominican third baseman rivals Altuve as the best everyday player to qualify.
González is a 26-year-old utility man who has had some small-sample success at the plate this season. The increasingly fragile Salazar will miss this entire season due to shoulder issues. Meanwhile, their 22-year-old Dominican countryman Mejía, who was briefly on the 25-man roster earlier this year but has yet to appear in a major league game this season, has hit .288/.337/.446 in Triple-A while splitting his time between catcher and left field in the hopes of doing an end-run around Cleveland’s defense-first catching duo of Yan Gomes and Roberto Pérez.

9. Yankees (6.6): Luis Severino, Miguel Andújar

Also: Gary Sánchez (DL), Giovanny Gallegos (mL)

Sánchez’s groin injury was poorly timed for our purposes here. The Baby Bombers should be no worse than fourth on this list. In terms of total bWAR, no team in the majors has gotten more out of their own international amateur signees than the Yankees this season. Of course, that’s primarily due to Severino having a Cy Young-quality season, which may be why the Yankees just signed his little brother, Rafael. Per bWAR, Severino’s 4.9-win performance thus far this season has been the second-most valuable of any player on this list. In addition to that, before his injury, Sánchez was worth nearly a win despite his .190 batting average thanks to his above-average play behind the plate (his arm and framing more than compensate for his in-progress blocking skills) and his still-significant power (14 home runs in 63 games). Andújar’s ascension gives the Yankees three “homegrown” Dominicans of note, with Sánchez the oldest at 25. Mexican righty Gallegos, meanwhile, has posted a 5.54 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 109 innings at Triple-A over the last few seasons and could soon provide the major leagues’ deepest bullpen with additional depth.

Three

8. Nationals (-0.2): Juan Soto, Wilmer Difo, Pedro Severino

Also: Adrian Sanchez (mL), Wander Suero (mL), Jefry Rodríguez (mL)

Nineteen-year-old Dominican outfielder Soto is the youngest player in the majors, has raked since his debut on May 20, and could finish the season as the National League’s Rookie of the Year, after which the sky would appear to be the limit for his potential with the bat. Countrymen Difo and Severino have been less impressive. Difo is a slick fielder but hasn’t hit much and is already 26. Severino has a mere 29 OPS+ and isn’t compensating for it with his sub-par receiving, dragging the team’s total contribution below replacement level.

7. Royals (0.7): Salvador Pérez, Adalberto Mondesi, Jorge Bonifacio

Also: Cheslor Cuthbert (DL), Ramon Torres (mL)

Venezuelan catcher Pérez is having a down year at the age of 28. Dominican outfielder Bonifacio just returned from a performance-enhancing drug suspension on Friday. Bearing down on his 23rd birthday, Mondesi remains an athletic middle infielder who has yet to prove he can hit major-league pitching. Incidentally, Mondesi was born in Los Angeles when his father, Raúl, was a Dodger, but grew up in the Dominican Republic, where Raúl is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence for corruption during his six years as mayor of San Cristóbal. Nicaraguan third baseman/designated hitter Cuthbert, out with a back strain, is expected back soon.

6. Rays (1.5): Diego Castillo, José Alvarado

Also: Yonny Chirinos (mL)

Dominican righty Castillo and Venezuelans Alvarado and Chirinos have all made positive contributions to the Rays’ pitching staff this season. The first two did so out of the pen; 24-year-old Chirinos was briefly in the rotation before a forearm strain bounced him to the disabled list and, subsequently, Triple-A, where he is back on the DL.

5. Mets (1.5): Jeurys Familia, Wilmer Flores, Amed Rosario

Also: Juan Lagares (DL), Rafael Montero (DL)

In 2015, Flores demonstrated the attachment a player can form to an organization when plucked out of his native country at an impressionable age and brought to the United States to play professional baseball. Flores officially signed with the Mets out of Venezuela on his 16th birthday in August of 2007 and was in full-season ball in the U.S. the following summer. He made his major-league debut on his 22nd birthday in 2013 and was a regular with the major-league club in July 2015 when he heard a rumor mid-game that he’d been traded to the Brewers. Distraught at the thought of leaving the only organization he’d ever known, and still in the game because, as it turned out, he had not actually been traded, Flores began tearing up, endearing himself to Mets fans in ways his play on the field has been unable to (though he did hit a walk-off home run two days later).

Familia has reclaimed the closer’s job. Rosario is just 22 and still working to establish himself as the Mets’ everyday shortstop. Lagares and Montero are out for the season with a torn plantar plate and Tommy John surgery, respectively.

4. Phillies (2.6): César Hernández, Seranthony Dominguez, Maikel Franco

Also: Héctor Neris (mL)

Hernández might be the most underrated player in baseball. A fine defensive second baseman who has posted a .373 on-base percentage and 108 OPS+ over the last three seasons, the 28-year-old Venezuelan was a three-win player each of the last two years and is on pace for a career-high in home runs and a four-win season this year. Twenty-three-year-old Dominican righty Dominguez has quickly established himself as the Phillies’ closer, a position vacated by countryman Neris’s struggles. Fellow Dominican Franco continues to be a disappointment at third base, despite his bat rebounding slightly this season.

Four

3. Pirates (2.2): Starling Marté, Elias Díaz, Edgar Santana, Gregory Polanco

Also: José Osuna (mL), Dovydas Neverauskas (mL)

Polanco has increased his power and patience this season, but his strikeouts have spiked as well, and his .234 average and poor play in the field have undermined those gains. Marté, meanwhile, has yet to recover his pre-PED-suspension form on either side of the ball. Still, the Pirates have received a surprising boost from 27-year-old Venezuelan backup catcher Elias Díaz, who has been forced into full-time duty by injuries to countryman Francisco Cervelli, while 26-year-old Dominican righty Santana has been a solid contributor out of the bullpen. Special mention to Neverauskas, who may have been lousy in 11 appearances earlier this year, but remains the only major leaguer ever signed out of Lithuania. He was discovered via MLB’s European Baseball Academy (now the European Elite Camp), which has also yielded Kepler and former Pirates infielder Gift Ngoepe of South Africa.

2. Rangers (2.8): Nomar Mazara, Jurickson Profar, Rougned Odor, José Leclerc

Also: Ronald Guzmán (DL), Martin Pérez (DL), Ariel Jurado (mL), Hanser Alberto (mL), Yohander Méndez (mL), Ricardo Rodríguez (mL)

No team has used as many of its own signed-and-developed international amateur signees at the major league level this season as the Rangers have. Of the ten men listed above, nine have appeared in a major-league game for Texas this year, and the exception, Rodríguez, was on the 25-man roster for three days in June. The runners-up in that category are the Pirates and Nationals, with six. The above group is a fairly diverse one, as well. Mazara, Leclerc, Guzmán, and Alberto are Dominican, Odor, Méndez, and Rodríguez are Venezuelan. Profar is from Curaçao, and Jurado is from Panama. The Rangers’ current 25-man roster also includes players from South Korea, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, though they don’t qualify for this list for a variety of reasons.

1. Braves (5.6): Ozzie Albies, Johan Camargo, Julio Teheran, Ronald Acuña Jr.

Though former general manager John Coppolella’s flouting of international signing rules led to his own lifetime suspension and the voiding of 13 player contracts, Atlanta still possesses the most valuable collection of homegrown international talent in the major leagues.

The Braves signed two-time All-Star Teheran out of Colombia, third baseman Camargo out of Panama, breakout second baseman Albies out of Curaçao, and future star Acuña out of Venezuela. Albies and Acuña are especially exciting. Just 21, Albies leads the NL in doubles (27), total bases (179) and runs scored (65), while the 20-year-old Acuña entered the season as the top prospect in baseball and seems likely to give that whippersnapper Soto a run for his money in the slow-to-develop NL Rookie of the Year race. Not to be outdone, the Rangers signed Acuña’s little brother, shortstop Luisangel, on Monday for $425,000 — more than four times what the Braves gave Ronald Jr. four years ago.

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Given issues in big league OF, the Indians have tried to get top prospect Francisco Mejia mentally on board with idea of spending more time in RF at AAA. Mejia’s heart still set on catching. “We’re just not there yet,” Francona said.

10:10 AM - 7 Jul 2018

The Orioles are "in the process of fielding offers from seven different teams," a source tells Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun.

Encina also hears the team continues to "move quickly" toward a deal of the star infielder. "The Orioles have received offers from the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Brewers, Phillies, Braves, Indians and Cubs," Encina wrote, "and those offers rank in that order, according to the source." The Dodgers have seemed like the odds-on favorites for the 26-year-old, so it's not entirely surprising that they top the list. In fact, none of the seven teams -- all with postseason aspirations -- are all that surprising. This thing seems to be trending quickly toward a resolution, perhaps even before the All-Star break.

Source: Baltimore SunJul 7 - 6:57 PM

However you spin it, Trevor Bauer’s first All-Star selection is unquestionably deserved

T.J. Zuppe 7h ago 4
Four​ years ago,​ a concert spoiled​ Trevor Bauer’s All-Star break.

While​ other players took​ advantage of the​ well-deserved​ downtime, a stage​ setup at​​ Progressive Field kept the right-hander and his unique between-start routine from throwing on the field. With nowhere to go and a throwing program to maintain, Bauer told reporters of how he journeyed to a local park with a handful of baseballs, seeking a chain-link fence capable of withstanding his mid-90s heaters.

This year, Bauer won’t have to contend with country music or a local park fence. His only potential issue? Working his long-toss and shoulder tube regimen around his expanded interview schedule in Washington, D.C.

The confident hurler, one who proclaimed himself All-Star worthy this past week, saw his impressive first half validated, earning one of the Indians’ five selections for the 2018 All-Star Game. And if we’re being honest, it’s not as if his candidacy should’ve ever been in question.

“It was a different experience having my name called,” Bauer said. “It’s something that I’ll remember for a while.”

Depending on your metric of choice, Bauer has certainly been one of the top starters in baseball this season. If you go by FanGraphs’ version of wins above replacement — their formula puts a lot of weight in the three true outcomes (strikeouts, walks and homers) — Bauer has been the majors’ most valuable pitcher. He also holds baseball’s lowest FIP (fielding independent pitching). If traditional methods are more your flavor, the righty also holds the 10th-lowest earned run average and ranks fourth in strikeouts.

Owning one of the league’s best All-Star resumes, Bauer swears he didn’t feel any anxiety about it just before Terry Francona announced the selections. That said, he did concede there was a hint of hope just before hearing his name, a feeling that briefly transported him back to his youth.

“You watch the game growing up,” Bauer said. “I watched every year. You tune in for the Home Run Derby and see the best of the best guys. I remember watching Torii Hunter rob Barry Bonds and Pedro Martinez punch out six guys in a row, and just moments like that from growing up that are kind of iconic baseball moments for me and for a lot of other people. And to be able to go and play in the same game against the best players that this game has to offer right now — that the world has to offer right now — is really fun. I’m really looking forward to it.”

His only wish was that the American League squad could hold more than the five Indians selections: Bauer, Corey Kluber, Francisco Lindor, Michael Brantley and José Ramírez.

“I wish we were bringing more of our guys along with us,” he said.

How he got to this point is a familiar story to frequent readers of The Athletic.

The former third overall pick of the 2011 MLB Draft always carried the ceiling of a front-of-the-rotation starter, but through the early portion of last season, the results continued to be mixed at best. The Diamondbacks moved on rather quickly, but Bauer’s first four years with the Indians still didn’t offer many hints as to whether he would ever progress past serving as a slightly above-average starter.

Of course, a completely revamped delivery took some time to get used to, and Bauer was also still working his way through the complexities of understanding spin rates, tunneling and what makes some of the best pitches in baseball tick — a study that continues to this day.

Using data, Bauer entered this past offseason riding a solid finish to the 2017 campaign, but he wasn’t happy with the modified slider he developed on the fly last year. He wanted to build a slider and changeup that would successfully give him lateral offerings to attack all sides and corners of the plate.

The process took time, but with use of extreme slow-motion cameras, the slider emerged first from his lab, ready for game use. He fired it throughout spring training, eventually battling the growing pains of any new pitch in April to finally gain a better understanding of how it works.

Dividends were almost instantly paid. Not only has the pitch performed like one of the best offerings in baseball this year — FanGraphs rates it as one of the majors’ best sliders — but it has also improved the performance of his other pitches by giving hitters more to ponder as the ball escapes Bauer’s hand.

Pitches don’t exist in a vacuum, so how they work in tandem with others is important. By adding the slider, right-handed hitters now have to wonder whether the approaching pitch is going to move away from them (slider, cutter), dart toward them (two-seam) or appear to rise (four-seam). It gave him another out-pitch to pair with his plus curveball.

In the meantime, the changeup he hoped to develop over the winter has quietly progressed as well — this one a little more under the radar — giving him another plus pitch worthy of befuddling opposing bats (even if he remains a little unhappy with its current movement profile).

On top of that, his continued training has helped kick his fastball up a notch.
For someone who hasn’t always seen his methods widely accepted — and let’s face it, his self-confidence and propensity to create a few sticky situations has made him a polarizing figure — it would be understandable if the first-half success led to a certain amount of personal vindication.

He insisted that’s not how he views it.

“I don’t know if there’s any vindication to be felt,” Bauer said.

“I think it’s a testament to the work I’ve done my entire career to get to this point. It just so happens that my work this offseason paid off a little bit better than some of my other offseasons. But, I’ve done a lot of work on staying healthy and I’ve stayed healthy my whole career. I’ve done a lot of work on developing velocity and my mechanics and command and all that different stuff, so it’s just a culmination of many years of hard work.”

Still, he’s hardly reached the finish line. He’s already made his personal goals clear, demanding multiple Cy Youngs of himself before he’s 45 years old. He sets the bar high, rarely if ever settling for OK. And while some might have been skeptical of the methods he’s used, few if any will ever question the clear desire he has to continuously improve.

“I think development is a good word,” fellow All-Star Corey Kluber said. “He’s grown as a pitcher. I think, obviously, his work ethic isn’t in question, but I think he’s done a good job of maybe addressing things to improve on, kind of attacking those things. And I think now you’re seeing the results of it.”

Those certainly can’t be argued. His standing as one of the game’s best hurlers in 2018 is unquestionably deserved.

In fact, at this rate, he will probably never need to visit that park fence in mid-July again.

“He wants to be the best, and he’s working his way toward that,” Francona said. “He’s established himself as one of the best pitchers in the last year.”

Of course Trevor deserving of all-star nod. So is Snell, who actually leads the league in ERA, tied for wins on a crappy team, and has been coming on strong.

Starting 9: The Indians ought to value shop at deadline


By Travis Sawchik 3h ago 3

1:​ While bullpen​ help remains​ arguably the Indians’ top​ priority as many​ have noted, particularly​ relief​ arms with​ multiyears of​​ control, the Indians have been connected to position players of interest where there are also needs.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, the Orioles are prepared to impending free agent Manny Machado soon, perhaps even this week. The Indians are among the contenders who have been connected to Machado, who figures to be this summer’s biggest trade chip.

Jim Bowden, a contributor to both The Athletic and CBSSports.com, reports the Indians are among the eight clubs with serious interest in Machado.

Wrote Bowden last week:

“I’ve talked to people involved in this over the last 24 hours, and I’ve talked to teams. Eight teams have confirmed to me that they’ve had discussions with the Orioles on Machado over the last 10 days. This is heating up. I’ve also been told, for people that are skeptical if the Angelos family will approve a deal, I’ve been told they are going to approve a deal. Their intent is to trade the player. When they get the package they like, they will move him.”

2: The Phillies, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Braves and Diamondbacks were cited as the other interested parties with Bowden believing the Phillies and Cardinals are the front-runners. While a Lindor-Ramírez-Machado infield is something to dream on in Cleveland, while it would bump the Indians’ postseason odds up several percentage points, if the price includes a Francisco Mejía, Shane Bieber and/or Triston McKenzie, the cost is too steep for three months of control over Machado. Trading six-plus years of control of multiple promising young assets for three months of any player, even a superstar, is rarely a winning move particularly given the small sample and unpredictable nature of the postseason. The Indians have other attractive prospects like Yu Chang and Bobby Bradley they could part with more easily. But overpaying could be folly as the Indians have an easy road to a division title and bypassing the wild-card play-in game. Even with Machado, the Astros (and perhaps even the Yankees and Red Sox) would remain favored over the Indians.

3: While the Indians ought to be in search of upgrades like most contenders at the deadline, they would do well to seek more affordable players and also look internally.

There is certainly a case to be made that the Indians ought to upgrade over Jason Kipnis in the infield, who has struggled for a second consecutive season as both a defensive and offensive performer. Jose Ramírez’s versatility to shift between second and third base gives the Indians the flexibility to seek a second or third base upgrade, and it might make more sense to target third base as more power, more offensive impact, typically resides at that position.

4: If not Machado, the ageless Adrián Beltré continues to perform at third base but he has 10-and-5 rights that allow him to block a deal. The other premier impending free agent at third base, Josh Donaldson, is nearing a return from the disabled list in Toronto, but he’s dealt with a balky shoulder all season. Toronto also could deal the versatile Yangervis Solarte, who could at least upgrade the bench over Erik González. Solarte has a 105 wRC+ for his career. Mets third baseman Todd Frazier has dealt with injury this season, but he has also retained last season’s walk-rate bump and is owed a modest $9 million next season. Perhaps the Padres would listen on Christian Villanueva. The Royals would like to move Mike Moustakas, who has become more and more a one-dimensional home run threat at third base. With so many non-contenders selling this deadline, there will be cheaper opportunities to upgrade the infield if the Indians choose to do so.

5: The Indians could also look internally as Yandy Díaz has a .418 on-base mark in Triple A after posting a .454 mark there a year ago (.352 in the majors). While he has just one home run and continues to be a ground-ball machine, he simply gets on base and can play a competent third base.

6: One advantage of the Indians’ significant lead in the AL Central is they can afford to experiment with young players like Díaz and Mejía if they choose to this summer.

7: That González is playing more often suggests the Indians are open to finding position-player upgrades. González is on pace to nearly double his playing time of a year ago at the major-league level. After playing sparingly in April — appearing in eight games and logging 12 plate appearances — he recorded 34 plate appearances and played 12 games each in May and June. While González is a defensive upgrade over Kipnis at second base, while he hit .430 in May, his true offensive talent is below league average.

8: While the Indians being tied to the Machado sweepstakes will of course grab attention and headlines, the outfield is arguably the greater position-player need. The problem is the outfield trade market appears to be extremely weak.

Lonnie Chisenhall’s continued lower-body injury issues make right field, at least the strong side of a platoon there, a question mark that could be addressed. One of the most intriguing options available, a resurgent Shin-Soo Choo, is owed more than $40 million, which makes his name a non-starter for the Indians unless the Rangers are willing to pick up the majority of his contract. If the Rangers did that, the prospect return would have to be significant.

Indians manager Terry Francona said late last month that Mejía, who has split his time between catcher and outfield, is not an option for the major-league outfield this season. Mejía seems reluctant to play right field where he has spent a lot of time this season in Triple A.

9: Whether the club ought to upgrade its center field options is another question.

Greg Allen remains intriguing as he has slashed .326/.429/.434 at Triple A this season despite his major-league struggles. On the other hand, Bradley Zimmer struggled upon his demotion to Triple A and is out at least four weeks with a shoulder issue. While he might be the future of the position, Zimmer probably cannot be counted upon the second half. If the Indians upgraded their infield, Kipnis is perhaps a candidate to slide to the outfield as he did late last season and into the postseason.

This author is still a believer in some club experimenting with Billy Hamilton as a type of super sub who would enter early in games as a pinch-runner and then remain in as center fielder. Hamilton is an elite baserunner and defender, he just can’t hit. But such employment would artificially enhance his on-base percentage. Hamilton scores 44 percent of the time he reaches base. The MLB average is 30 percent.

STAT OF THE WEEK: 4.5
Trevor Bauer’s AL-leading pitching WAR

STAT OF THE WEEK II: 121 1/3
Bauer’s first-half innings, which ranks second to only Houston’s Justin Verlander (125 2/3)

STAT OF THE WEEK III: 2.16
Bauer’s MLB-best fielding independent pitching mark among qualified starters

HE SAID IT
“I should be an All-Star. I imagine I will be, and if I’m not, they didn’t do it right.”
— Bauer on his All-Star prospects last week. He’s not wrong. And he’s a first-time All-Star, though it took the commissioner’s office as a last line of defense in the process to vote in the AL’s pitching WAR leader.

Machado is terrific but we need outfielders and relief pitchers