WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 22: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals runs in from the outfield in the first inning Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on July 22, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) The Cleveland Indians have reportedly discussed trading for All-Star outfielder Bryce Harper. If they want to keep up in the American League, they should pull the trigger. As the Cleveland Indians begin play on Tuesday’s trade deadline, they will be 16.5 games behind the American League-leading Red Sox. Make no mistake; the Indians are a solid team and are almost guaranteed to make the playoffs. In the AL Central, Cleveland has the luxury of not having to win 110 games to win the division. While the Indians are a playoff-caliber team, they will likely be the weakest bunch on the AL side of the bracket. The Red Sox and Yankees are each on pace to win well over 100 games, and the Astros should finish near the century-mark as well. The Indians, on the other hand, are not on pace to crack 90. To make matters worse, the competition is growing tougher. Boston has traded for Steve Pearce, Ian Kinsler, and Nathan Eovaldi, and they likely are not done. To match them, the Yankees have acquired J.A. Happ, Lance Lynn, and Zach Britton. Like the Red Sox, they probably have a few moves still up their sleeves. Finally, the Astros have traded for Roberto Osuna, Ryan Pressly, and Martin Maldonado. Needless to say, the AL champion will have earned their spot in the World Series. You never know what will happen in the postseason, but as things currently stand, the Indians are far and away the weakest team in the AL playoff picture. Cleveland has already bolstered their bullpen by acquiring Brad Hand and Adam Cimber, but they have some work left to do. If they are going to take home the pennant, they need to make a splash. Fortunately for the Indians, their perfect trade target became available on Monday night. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Nats are making Bryce Harper available. Harper is not having his typical MVP-caliber season, but he would still be a worthwhile acquisition. Looking past his batting average, he has been a productive hitter. His 25 homers rank second in the NL, while he leads the league in walks with 84. He has struck out too much, but his .241 BABIP leads you to believe that his average will regress to the mean. Even in his current form, Harper would make the Indians better. Their outfielders have combined for 2.5 WAR, good for 24th in the majors. Only the Rockies rank lower and have a shot at making the postseason. The Cleveland Indians right fielders have been exceptionally underwhelming. They have combined for a .724 OPS, which is well below Harper’s .842. Finally, Harper’s defensive versatility would be beneficial. Lonnie Chisenhall is currently on the disabled list with a calf strain, leaving a hole in right field for now. However, when he returns, Harper could slide over to center field. Although Harper is better-suited for a corner outfield role, he can hold his own in center. Obviously, Harper would be an excellent fit in Cleveland. After all, who would not want to add a generational talent? The only thing standing in the way is the Nats’ understandably high asking price. The Nats hope to re-sign Harper this offseason, and trading him away hurts their chances. Because of this, they want a substantial return if they are going to deal him. Nobody knows what the Nats have asked for, but there has been some speculation that they would want a package including Triston McKenzie or Shane Bieber. The Indians, on the other hand, would be hesitant to part with either young arm, especially for a rental. However, with Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, and Mike Clevinger each signed at least through 2020 and several promising arms in the farm system, the Indians could afford to part with one McKenzie or Bieber. They have already traded top prospect Francisco Mejia to San Diego; they might as well go all-in and deal one more prospect for one of the game’s best players. Want your voice heard? Join the Call To The Pen team! Write for us! Opportunities to acquire someone as talented as Bryce Harper do not come often. If the Cleveland Indians are serious about winning their first World Series title in 70 years, they will make a run for him.<doc-sep>Sports Bryce Harper To Cleveland? Trades Being Explored The Washington Nationals superstar could be on the market — but it's unclear what his price tag is. Reply CLEVELAND, OH — The Washington Nationals have reportedly made superstar outfielder Bryce Harper available. The Cleveland Indians are exploring possible trades to acquire the 25-year-old. Trade talk between the two teams has yet to gain significant momentum, MLB.com reported. Still, negotiations have been initiated hours before Tuesday's trade deadline. The mercurial right fielder is in the midst of a mild slump, hitting just .220 at the plate and has an OPS well below his career average. However, there's plenty of pop left in his bat, as Harper has clubbed 25 home runs so far this season. To acquire Harper, a household name for baseball fans, the Tribe would likely have to part with pitching — lots and lots of pitching. The Nationals are slated to lose Gio Gonzalez and Jeremy Hellickson to free agency and the team wants to replenish its rotation. The Indians have two supreme pitching prospects — Triston McKenzie and Shane Bieber — but the team is unlikely to part with either for a one-year rental of Harper, MLB.com said. If other teams don't move on Harper, and the market for his services deflate, is it possible the Nationals adjust their asking price? It's within the realm of possibilities. Tuesday could be a very intriguing day for both MLB and the Indians. (For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)<doc-sep>
Nick Wass/Associated Press The Cleveland Indians will need some serious firepower to overcome the likes of the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros and New York Yankees in the American League playoffs, and they have reportedly looked at Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper as a potential source of additional offense. On Monday, Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com reported the Indians and Nationals have discussed a trade involving Harper, although he granted the discussions have "no momentum." Harper is a six-time All-Star who won the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year and 2015 NL MVP and is only 25 years old. Trading someone like that would typically seem ill-advised, but he is set to be an unrestricted free agent following this season and figures to earn a significant return for a Nationals team that could miss the playoffs entirely. Washington is six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies and 4.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East, and a source told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, "The clubhouse is a mess." Still, Jon Heyman of Fancred reported "rivals believe there's almost no chance" Harper will be moved prior to Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline, echoing Morosi's comments that there is "no momentum" in talks between the Nationals and Indians. According to Morosi, the price tag on a Harper trade to Cleveland would be quite high, and he noted "it's difficult to imagine the Indians trading" highly regarded pitching prospects Triston McKenzie and Shane Bieber. Video Play Button Videos you might like Their interest in Harper makes sense, though, seeing how their right fielders have produced a .723 OPS on the season, per Morosi. Even with a .220 batting average, Harper's OPS is .842, and he has 25 home runs and 62 RBI. A Cleveland lineup featuring Harper, Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor, Edwin Encarnacion and Michael Brantley would be terrifying for opposing pitchers, but it appears as if that will not become a reality this season.