Following the Michael Bourn signing, there was some
speculation that the Cleveland Indians may trade one of their other outfielders,
Drew Stubbs or Michael Brantley, as a result of the addition. While it’s not
clear if they’re willing to part with either player, Stubbs is the Indians’ “most
likely outfield trade bait,” according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Beyond Bourn, the Indians also signed veteran outfielder
Nick Swisher to a multi-year contract earlier this winter. At this point, this
would appear to give Cleveland four outfielders for three spots.
However, Paul Hoynes of The Plain Dealer reports that it
doesn’t appear the Bourn signing will prompt a trade of Stubbs or Brantley. In
this scenario, the Indians could move Swisher to first base, allowing them to
use fellow offseason acquisition Mark Reynolds as a designated hitter.
If the Indians do make an outfielder available, Heyman
believes the New York Mets “need to line up.” The Mets have been tied to several outfielders this offseason, including Bourn and Scott Hairston, and they could
still make an addition before camp breaks.
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