For the Indians to make a truly big splash financially, they require a perfect storm of circumstances.
It happened in 2013, when qualifying offers and the draft-pick compensation attached to them, a dwindling market and the club’s draft position cooked up the right situation for the Indians to sign Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn to contracts well below what they were projected to make at the beginning of that offseason. Multiple pieces to the free-agent puzzle fell in just the right places for the Indians to be in a rare position to enter that financial stratosphere.
It happened again at last year’s trade deadline, when the front office recognized they had a potentially special opportunity and sent two top prospects to the New York Yankees in a four-player package for Andrew Miller, thus taking on his $9 million salary through 2018. They were also willing to send four prospects to Milwaukee to acquire Jonathan Lucroy before he vetoed the deal.
That perfect storm could be forming again, and it’s possible that one of the game’s premiere power hitters is just beginning to enter the Indians’ airspace as an obtainable target.
Edwin Encarnacion, formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays, entered the offseason as one of two top-shelf sluggers available on the free-agent market. Yoenis Cespedes, the other, has since returned to the New York Mets on a four-year, $110 million deal.
Encarnacion, 33, belted 42 home runs and drove in 127 RBI last season with an .886 OPS. He’s hit at least 34 home runs and driven in at least 98 RBI in each of the past five seasons in Toronto, owning an OPS of .900 or greater in four of them.
And as it pertains to the Indians’ chances of signing him, Encarnacion’s number of possible landing spots is shrinking. Several teams once connected to Encarnacion have taken advantage of a saturated first-basemen market, instead choosing a cheaper option. The Blue Jays signed Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce. The Boston Red Sox acquired Mitch Moreland. The Houston Astros added Carlos Beltran. The Yankees brought in Matt Holliday.
Power hitters such as Mark Trumbo and Mike Napoli are still available as free agents as well, creating a supply-and-demand issue for Encarnacion, who will turn 34 during the 2017 season and could be nearing the point of exclusively acting as a team’s everyday designated hitter.
All of this is possibly dragging Encarnacion’s price tag far below what many expected it would be a month ago, when he turned down a four-year, $80 million offer from the Blue Jays to test the market. It backfired. Current reports indicate his price tag is likely dropping to around $60 million.
Meanwhile, the Indians have a clear need on the roster for a first baseman/designated hitter in the middle of their lineup due to the current loss of Napoli, who remains a possible return candidate. Encarnacion certainly fits that description. They also have the right competitive window and some added financial opportunities that could make it all possible.
The Indians were successful in finding a minority owner and investor when they brought in Missouri-based entrepreneur John Sherman as vice chairman, which helps owner Paul Dolan with the club’s payroll.
They also received some financial gains thanks to the World Series run, which included eight additional home games, and the playoff revenue that comes with it. It’s unclear exactly how much affect that could have on the club’s spending abilities, but per Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, one rival executive believes that run generated $15-20 million.
The front office can look to the fact that the team reached Game 7 of the World Series with a roster that, for the most part, is under club control for the foreseeable future — in most cases through the 2018 season and in many cases through at least 2020. A long-term deal, while risky as always, fits that window as well.
The Indians all last year raved about Napoli, who had a strong season in the middle of the lineup and who reportedly has received one-year offers but is looking for a multi-year deal. Production-wise, Encarnacion would certainly make for an upgrade as one of the best power bats in the league and a near-perfect fit in the lineup. Add the potential return of a healthy Michael Brantley, and the Indians would have some added punch to the middle of the order that was absent during their postseason run.
The free-agent market. The dwindling landing spots. A lowered price tag. The Indians’ competitive window and a reason to be aggressive. A seamless fit on the roster. Some added financial help through a minority owner and postseason run. All of it was needed to even put the Indians in a position to make a serious run at Encarnacion, but the dominoes have fallen in order thus far.
Signing Encarnacion, who would most likely become the primary designated hitter while also sharing time with Carlos Santana at first base, would represent another aggressive, costly move to push the Indians clear out of their financial comfort zone. It doesn’t mean it can easily happen. But once again, due to a swirling set of circumstances, the Indians could be in a position to strike.
Rule 5
The Indians on Thursday addressed a need in the bullpen, selecting left-handed reliever Hoby Milner in the Rule 5 Draft.
Milner will have to remain on the active 25-man roster for the duration of the 2017 season. Otherwise, he has to be offered back to his former team, the Philadelphia Phillies.
Milner offers the Indians another left-handed option aside from Miller. Last season, he split his time between Double-A and Triple-A and finished with a 5-4 record, 2.49 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 65 innings.
The Indians also had an additional spot available in the bullpen after Jeff Manship was not tendered a contract, making him the lone arbitration-eligible player to not receive an offer from the club.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ