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MLB Trade Rumors: 5 players the Indians should acquire

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Apr 2, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22) celebrates as they get the last out of the seventh inning against the New York Yankees and leaves bases loaded at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer (22) celebrates as they get the last out of the seventh inning against the New York Yankees and leaves bases loaded at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 19, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Corey Dickerson (10) singles during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
May 19, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Corey Dickerson (10) singles during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Corey Dickerson, LF/DH, Rays

Another Tampa Bay player that would make sense for the Indians is outfielder/designated hitter Corey Dickerson. However, like Archer, Dickerson would likely cost Cleveland (or any other team inquiring about his services) a fairly talented prospect haul.

Through 42 games this season, Dickerson was hitting .343/.394/.639 with 11 home runs, 12 doubles, two triples and 22 RBI and an American League best 106 total bases – a major bounce back performance after hitting .245/.293/.469 with 24 homers and 70 RBI in 148 games last season. In five big league seasons, Dickerson has hit .286/.333/.524 with 74 homers.

In addition to the higher price he is sure to bring after such a hot start, there are two major issues for the Indians when it comes to trading for Dickerson: First, he has two years left of arbitration, putting him under team control through 2019. Second, he has played fewer than half his games in the field so far this year.

The first matters because, like Archer, the Rays hold multiple years of team control, which any team that trades for Dickerson would inherit, keeping costs below what he (or a similarly skilled player) would command as a free agent. He would therefore cost the Indians multiple good prospects.

The second is key because the Indians already have a full-time DH in Encarnacion, and would therefore need Dickerson to play left field or right field regularly. But, on a positive note, Dickerson posted solid advanced fielding numbers 76 games in left in 2016 (6.1 UZR, 14.5 UZR/150). A center fielder primarily earlier in his career with the Rockies, and at 28 years old, Dickerson has the skill set and athletic ability to play the field regularly again.

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