MLB Trade Rumors: Adrian Beltre Could Be the Missing Piece in the Cleveland Indians' Championship Puzzle
The Cleveland Indians have had a strange season up to this point.
Despite trailing significanlty behind American League powerhouses like the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros and New York Yankees in terms of wins, the Indians still look like a lock for the playoffs because the other teams in the AL Central have ranged from being mediocre to just plain bad.
Given how talented they are, though, the Indians probably aren't content with just being the best a bad division has to offer or simply being a playoff lock.
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The Indians want to win the World Series, and in pursuit of that goal, they may be looking to bolster their roster by acquiring one of the best third basemen to ever play the game.
In a recent article for MLB.com, industry insider Jon Morosi noted that "at least some" members of the Indians organization are interested in adding current Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre.
Beltre being mentioned as a potential trade target when he's already 39 years old can seem a bit odd, but it stops seeming like that once the numbers are examined.
When Beltre's been on the field this season, he's continued to hit well, even though his power numbers are down significantly. There's also still hope that he's got some pop left in that bat, and considering that his hard hit rate is still above 40 percent according to Fangraphs, there may be reason to buy into that idea.
Also, even if Beltre doesn't rediscover the power he's seemingly lost this year, he would still present an upgrade for the Indians.
If the Indians were to acquire him, he could take over for Jose Ramirez at third base and then Ramirez could move to second, which would allow the team to move the struggling Jason Kipnis to the bench.
Lastly, acquiring Beltre could turn the Indians into the sentimental favorites to win it all this year, as many baseball fans will likely be rooting to see the surefire Hall of Famer win a title before his career comes to an end.
The Indians haven't made their move for Beltre yet, but they may want to do so sooner rather than later.
