The Cleveland Indians are reportedly ready to renege on their considerable investment in All-Star Nick Swisher.
Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe reports Sunday that Cleveland is prepared to trade away the 11-year MLB veteran, and a number of potential suitors are named (h/t HardballTalk.com’s Bill Baer):
The Indians would like to trade [Swisher] because they acquired Brandon Moss from Oakland. Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore, San Diego, Milwaukee, and the Cubs (who would love to add a veteran leader), could be possible trade partners. Swisher, who has had some knee issues, has some $30 million left on his deal and the Indians might have to eat some of the money to move him.
Swisher has played every position in the outfield in addition to first base in his career, and he now appears destined to be suiting up for his fifth different club.
The Indians signed Swisher to a four-year, $56 million contract in December 2012, with hopes that he would help turn Cleveland around into a consistent winner.
While the Indians played rather well since Swisher arrived in posting two seasons north of .500, the versatile 34-year-old did not contribute as much as was expected to the cause. In 2014, Swisher batted just .208 in 97 games, as his year was cut short by surgery on both knees in late August.
Before then, in June, the usually durable Swisher discussed dealing with the trying circumstances, per Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes: “It’s been a crazy year. I’m dealing with some bad luck, some adversity, some injuries. It’s all come up in one year this season. … It’s the first time in 11 years I’ve gone through something like this. It’s uncharted waters for me. I’m just trying to be the best teammate I can be and get my work in.”
However, Swisher made it through most of 2013 and struck out 138 times with just a .246 average—a 26-point drop from his last year with the New York Yankees. To be fair, he did have a solid 3.8 WAR, compared to minus-1.1 in the same category this past season, per Baseball-Reference.
Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported last month that Cleveland was interested in dealing Swisher away this offseason:
Cleveland.com’s Dennis Manoloff felt it was the right move to at least gauge the interest in placing Swisher on the trading block:
In light of his recent knee injuries, though, Swisher has an uphill battle ahead to prove himself. What Swisher will bring no matter what is a radiant, positive presence to his new clubhouse, should the Indians ultimately decide to move him.
No matter what role he’s in as a ballplayer, a potential new team has to be excited about the prospect of adding someone like Swisher to the roster to help with team chemistry.
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