Three Cleveland Indians Contract Extensions That Should Happen ASAP

Three Cleveland Indians Contract Extensions That Should Happen ASAP

Alex Kaufman
3 years ago
3 min read
Three Cleveland Indians Contract Extensions That Should Happen ASAP

People always talk about the “realities of being a small market MLB team”, and even more so with the penny-pinching ownership of Paul Dolan.

What does this really mean though, how can a team like the Indians contend and keep players when there is no salary cap? Is it really going to be that all good players just leave in free agency for the allure of Boston, New York, or Los Angeles? While all of that may be true here are some contract extensions that the front office NEEDS to find a way to work out. 

Jose Ramirez

Really nothing more should have to be said than his name, but Jose has been one of the best hitters in the league, while simultaneously being one of the most underrated as well. Couple that with being a fan favorite, and the fact that he is in the last years of an extremely club-friendly deal (set to make 9.4 million this year), and it’s time to pay the man. 

Proposed Extension: 5 years/ $65 million

Look, this is extremely unlikely to happen as it would be five million dollars more than the three year, $60 million deal (franchise record) that was signed by Edwin Encarnacion in 2017. However, when you look at it it would still be an insane value contract at about 13 million a year and would keep Jose in Cleveland through his age 35 season in 2028 and likely an Indian/Guardian for life. 

Shane Bieber

Now, this is definitely going to shock some people as Beibs has just barely pitched this year, but we have all seen how good he can be. Do you want a face of the city? I see Baker Mayfield and I will raise you a Shane Bieber. 

If Bieber can stay on the pace he has been on to start his young career he has the potential to be one of the best Indians pitchers of all time, and one of the best in all of baseball. Not only that but keeping Bieber on the staff makes the rest of these young pitchers better, we have seen that impact before with Kluber, Clev and Bauer on this group. 

Proposed Extension: 7 years/ $110 million

I know this seems completely illogical based on everything we know about current ownership, but again an insane value contract at 15.7 million AAV. The team could even front or backload the contract so it would be even less per year if they needed to, I know it is early in his career but with talent like this, it’s never too early. 

Franmil Reyes

Boy does Cleveland love them some big men who can mash baseballs out of the stadium, see Jim Thome, Travis Hafner, or Jason Giambi if you need proof. Reyes is probably the biggest and strongest out of all of them, and this year he has shown he can be consistent yet streaky with the bat. 

Proposed Extension: 4 years/ $50 million

You don’t want to find yourself paying too much to someone who doesn’t add value defensively, especially someone as streaky as Reyes. On the other hand, you want to keep that big bat in your lineup to strengthen it. Like Bieber he is heading into his first year of arbitration this year so it is still a little early to talk extension but if he can keep becoming more consistent and maybe enter an MVP race, that number might have to go up.

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