Indians trade Bauer in blockbuster deal

The Cleveland Indians dealt Trevor Bauer to the Cincinnati Reds in a blockbuster three team deal that also includes the San Diego Padres.

It was only a matter of time. Trevor Bauer is no longer a member of the Cleveland Indians. Trevor Bauer was sent to the Cincinnati Reds in a blockbuster trade. Cleveland receives Yasiel Puig, Franmil Reyes and Logan Allen to improve the big league roster. Cleveland also added minor league prospects Victor Nova and Scott Moss in addition to the Major League players they received.

The Indians entered this season stuck in-between a rock and a hard place in regards to Bauer. Bauer is a great pitcher but his contract status and his potential large salary next year through arbitration made a trade seem inevitable. The return that Cleveland got for Bauer right now is greater than if they would have waited to deal him after the season. For a team that has to work with financial constraints, this is a deal that had to be done now.

Adding Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes to the outfield provides a bit more pop in the lineup. The duo have combined for 49 home runs, 24 doubles and 107 runs driven in this season. Puig is only a rental for this season, but Reyes is under contract until 2025 and figures to be a fixture of the Tribe outfield for the foreseeable future.

Logan Allen may contribute in some form this season. Allen has started four games this season but has also come out of the bullpen for his last three appearances. While he has not had much success in San Diego (6.75 ERA, 1.776 WHIP in 25.1 innings), he should be able to help in the future. Allen is only 22 years old and has plenty of time to improve on his early performances.