MLB Trade Rumors 2019: Top 25 assets

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 20: San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) throws a pitch during a MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 20, 2019 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 20: San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) throws a pitch during a MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 20, 2019 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 21: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (47) delivers a pitch to the plate during the second inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians on June 21, 2019, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 21: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (47) delivers a pitch to the plate during the second inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians on June 21, 2019, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

6. Trevor Bauer

It is still way too early to count the Cleveland Indians out of the AL Central race, but that may not be the case come the end of July. The Indians floated the idea of trading ace Corey Kluber this winter, but ultimately elected to keep him. Unfortunately, Kluber suffered a broken arm and is out until August.

Cleveland has spent close to their financial limits to keep the 2016 World Series runner-up squad together, but their window of contention could be coming to an end. The Minnesota Twins appear to be for real, and the Chicago White Sox aren’t too far behind. The front office will have to plan for a scenario where the team gets hot in July, but also for one where the Twins pull even further ahead.

If the Indians find themselves out of contention, they have to consider dealing Trevor Bauer. The 28-year-old right-hander still has one more season of arbitration left and finally put it all together last season. Bauer ended 2017 on a 10-2 run with a 3.01 second-half ERA and followed that up by going 12-6 last year with a 2.21 ERA. He has regressed slightly this season due to control issues and leads the Major Leagues in walks, but has held opponents to a .220/.304/.394 line since the end of May.

Bauer certainly has his baggage, but a contender would welcome him with open arms and try and make it work. He has ace potential when firing on all cylinders and is still cost-controlled for one more season. The Indians might still have an outside shot at making the playoffs, but the smart move here is dealing Bauer and reloading for another run before Francisco Lindor gets expensive.