MLB Trade Rumors: Red Sox 'Likely' to Deal Bradley Jr., Indians Open To Trading Lindor

The Boston Red Sox have some questions to answer about their outfield this winter. J.D. Martinez recently rejected the opt-out clause in his contract to stay at the club next season and is set to earn $23.75 million.

This is going to have a trickle-down effect for the Sox as they are already dangerously close to the luxury tax threshold. Currently, Boston has $226 million committed to player salaries next season, well above the $208 million luxury cut-off.

This is leading to widespread speculation that the Red Sox will have to deal at least one or two of their star players. Boston had previously toyed with the idea of moving Mookie Betts, who is slated to earn nearly $30 million in 2020.

However, due to the player’s salary, moving Betts to a new club would be very difficult, especially with potential suitors knowing full well they could sign him as a free agent next winter. The Red Sox are now looking at a trade involving a less important player who is also easier to deal with: Jackie Bradley Jr.

The center fielder is entering the final year of his contract and will earn $11 million next season. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that Boston is very likely to trade Bradley Jr. in order to get under the luxury tax threshold.

“A trade of center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., projected to earn $11 million in his final year before free agency, seems all but certain.”

Bradley Jr. turns 30 next spring and, although he is terrific in the field, is only a career .236 hitter with a relatively paltry .727 OPS. Rosenthal further speculates that the Sox are also looking at moving David Price and/or Nathan Eovaldi by eating some of their salaries or by packaging them with a younger player such as Andrew Benintendi.

Meanwhile, another American League team is also eyeing the trade market but in a much different way. ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that the Cleveland Indians accept that they will at some point in the next two years have to trade Francisco Lindor.

The superstar shortstop has two full seasons left on his contract so the Tribe isn’t in a rush to make a deal. However, they accept that they will not be able to keep Lindor in Cleveland beyond his current contract.

There are a few windows for the Indians to trade Lindor; this offseason, next offseason or the trade deadlines in the next two summers. While the club may be able to wrangle a better deal if a contender needs a solution mid-season, they are very much open to offers now.

While that would hurt the club in the short term, as few if any players could replace Lindor, they do have a safety net of sorts in the free agent market. That safety net comes in the form of Didi Gregorius who has not tendered a qualifying offer by the Yankees this week.

The former Arizona Diamondback would cost a pretty penny, especially in a winter where he is by far the best free agent shortstop, former Mets GM Steve Phillips believes he is getable,

“I look at Francisco Lindor being traded and Didi Gregorius being the replacement at shortstop in Cleveland. [They could sign him to a] five-year deal, for $60 million, and you’ve got cost containment for the next five years. Lindor is going to be a $20 million guy, so why not lock in Didi, and let him be your guy for the next five years? To me, that’s the fallback if Lindor gets dealt.”

However, they may not be the only ones who may make an offer to Gregorius. The New York Yankees are still considering making an approach for their former infielder despite having declined to make a qualifying offer.