It was a no-brainer to start Kluber, who was 2-0 against Chicago heading into the “do or die” affair.
P Corey Kluber – Kluber had an excellent 2016 postseason going 4-1 in seven starts, including game seven against the Cubs. At that point he’ll be 33 years old, and it will be a tough decision if the team will bring him back or go with another catcher. The Indians have a $5.5 million dollar option on him for 2021, and a $7 million dollar option in 2022. The team made him their starting catcher after trading Gomes to the Washington Nationals in November of 2018, and again Perez stepped up, hitting a career-high 24 homers with 63 RBI hitting. He took advantage of the chance he was given, hitting three homers and driving in seven runs in 15 postseason games. Roberto Perez C – Many forget that Perez was the catcher for the entire postseason in 2016 after Yan Gomes was injured. The team has an $11 million dollar option for 2022 on Ramirez, and a $13 million dollar option for him in 2023. He struggled to start 2019, but was gaining momentum when an injury ended his season in late August when he had to have hand surgery. He was in what seemed to be a daily home run race for the American League in 2018, ending the season with 39 dingers and 105 RBI. Jose Ramirez 3B – Jose is still a big part of the franchise, the 27-year-old was an All-Star after big seasons in both 20. Sadly he tore his ACL in April in a minor league game, and is now happily retired from the game. He left to go back to Texas in 2017, and before 2018 came back to Cleveland. He slammed 34 homers and 101 RBI during the regular season in 2016, and was the first basemen for most of the year. Napoli’s attitude transformed the clubhouse, and it didn’t take long for his impact there and on the field to be felt. Mike Napoli 1B – Terry Francona always loves to have at least one grizzled veteran on the team’s roster, and in 2016 it was Napoli, who inked a one-year deal worth $7 million in January of 2016. How the team deals with Lindor has been one of, if not the biggest storyline of the offseason other than the fact that the season is on hold due to the pandemic.
The team won’t be able to afford a player making $300 plus million, and Lindor could get that once he hits free agency in 2022. Four years later he’s still one of the biggest superstars in the game, but his time in Cleveland is likely drawing to a close. He shared an emotional good-bye to Cleveland in February on social media.įrancisco Lindor SS – The 26-year-old was a rising star in 2016, earning his first All-Star appearance hitting. The team had a club option at $16.5 million, but instead chose to pay him $2.5 million in a buyout. 230 with 18 homers and 75 RBI in 147 games, and last year he played in 121 games, dealing with a few injury issues, hitting.
232 in 90 games with 12 homers and 35 RBI. He was a huge part of the World Series run in 16, but injuries and inconsistency defined his last three years with the Indians. Jason Kipnis 2B – The longtime popular second basemen is now with the very team that beat the Indians to win the World Series, inking a deal this offseason with the Chicago Cubs.