In a move to bolster its bullpen, the Cleveland Indians made a surprising move to acquire Brad Hand.
Two years ago, the Cleveland Indians pulled off a trade deadline deal that landed them Andrew Miller, a guy Terry Francona would ride to a World Series. Cleveland didn’t win, eventually losing to the other team that made a deal for a reliever (the Cubs and Aroldis Chapman) but the blueprint had been sketched.
Fast forward to 2018 and that herald bullpen is among the worst in the Majors. The only team in with a higher bullpen ERA is the Kansas City Royals, who are near the bottom of the league in basically every category.
It’s no wonder the bullpen phones don’t work right in Cleveland.
To try and fix the issues, the Indians have made a move we’ve long assumed would be made: trading for a top reliever. Zach Britton was heavily rumored to be the guy Cleveland landed but it ended up being San Diego’s Brad Hand.
Along with Hand, Cleveland also acquired Adam Cimber to help fix one of the worst bullpens in baseball.
There’s a ripple effect from this, and it doesn’t end with wondering about the Indians World Series chances. Hand just signed an extension with San Diego, meaning the Indians are acquiring not just a potential bullpen savior but a controllable one.
As far as immediate impact, Cleveland isn’t making this deal to win the division. There’s no question, barring some historic meltdown, that Cleveland will win the AL Central; this move is about winning the World Series.
Cleveland wasn’t the only team looking for late-inning help ont he trade market. Hand was widely considered to be the top guy, and now that he’s been shipped out, the conversation will shift towards Britton.
Los Angeles just pulled off a trade for Manny Machado, and Britton might not be far behind. Many thought the Machado deal would be chased with one involving Hand, which won’t be happening.
It also indicates that the hot stove is heating up. Machado was holding up the market, but now that his situation has been dealt with the other trade dominos can being to fall. Hand was the first to go, but with two weeks to go before the deadline passes, others like Mike Moustakas, Brian Dozier, J.A. Happ, and Britton will begin to get discussed with more seriousness.
Whether or not Hand fixes the Indians atrocious bullpen is yet to be seen. Things worked out well the last time the club made a splashy move for a reliever, and fans can only hope things turn out similarly.
Grade: B+