Fansided

One free agent each MLB team should sign right now

By Joshua Sadlock

CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 27: Starting pitcher Alex Cobb
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 27: Starting pitcher Alex Cobb /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 30
Next
DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 16: Jonathan Lucroy #21 of the Colorado Rockies throws to first base after fielding a softly hit ground ball in the sixth inning of a game at Coors Field on September 16, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 16: Jonathan Lucroy #21 of the Colorado Rockies throws to first base after fielding a softly hit ground ball in the sixth inning of a game at Coors Field on September 16, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

Cleveland Indians: Jonathan Lucroy

The Indians had a trade lined up for All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy two years ago, but he elected to block that trade and picked the Texas Rangers because he thought they gave him a better chance to go to the World Series. The two-time All-Star obviously made the wrong choice, because it was Cleveland, not Texas, in the 2016 World Series.

Lucroy’s time with the Rangers ended in nightmarish fashion. He fell apart completely in the first half of the 2017 season and was sporting a meek .242/.297/.338 line with four home runs and 27 RBI when he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. Lucroy managed to rebound with the Rockies, hitting .310/.429/.437 in 46 games after the trade.

Defense had also been one of Lucroy’s calling cards, but his pitch-framing numbers fell off last year as well. The advanced defensive metrics for catchers are still very volatile from season to season. Lucroy probably did not all of a sudden forget how to receive pitches, so much as see fewer extra called strikes because he was working with an erratic pitching staff in Texas.

Despite their commitments to catchers Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez, the Indians should still be willing to take another look at Lucroy. Cleveland catchers were 21st in the league last year with a .692 OPS. Gomes and Perez are not threats with the bat, and top prospect Francisco Mejia could benefit from one more year at Triple-A. A pillow deal for Lucroy gives the Indians a better hitter behind the plate and a bridge to Mejia next season.

Home/MLB