Finally, after months of endless fan demand, the Cleveland Indians acquired the outfield help everyone was expecting them to bring in.
Well, sort of.
Yasiel Puig is still nowhere near the Indians’ spring training clubhouse, a situation which likely isn’t going to change. Instead of signing the fan favorite, Cleveland inked a deal with former Seattle Mariner Domingo Santana.
While certainly not a move which will send supporters screaming towards their nearest ticket broker, it’s a signing which carries some upside. Though Santana saw notable decline after his career year in 2017, he was showing signs of improvement last season before elbow inflammation hindered his offensive production.
Provided he can regain the power he displayed three seasons ago – and at the very least make slight improvements with his strikeout rate – Santana could become a savvy signing on the Indians’ part.
For now, said move also serves as a vote of confidence for Franmil Reyes. By bringing in Santana, the Indians are also expressing their belief that Reyes can indeed become a reliable outfield option in 2020.
Casey Drottar is an Cleveland Indians writer for Sports Illustrated. Subscribe to his podcast, or follow him on Twitter and Facebook