The Cleveland Indians remain squarely in the playoff hunt and are just three games behind the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central after winning eight of their last 10, but they are still exploring the possibility of trading Trevor Bauer.
As expected, several teams have expressed interest in Bauer with the trade deadline now a week away. Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports that the Philadelphia Phillies are among them, and they have had discussions with the Indians.
#Phillies and #Indians have discussed a possible Trevor Bauer trade, sources say, as I reported on @MLBNetwork this morning. @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 24, 2019
Despite their inconsistencies this season, the Phillies are just a half-game back in the NL wild card race and six games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East. Adding a top starting pitcher could provide them with the spark they need down the stretch, and Bauer is not the only one they are keeping an eye on.
Bauer is 9-7 with a 3.49 ERA this season. He has one more year of arbitration left, and he will likely make somewhere in the range of $20 million next season before becoming a free agent. The Indians appear to have decided they can’t afford to keep him, which is why a trade is being considered. There are multiple teams interested in acquiring the right-hander, and one appears to be pursuing him more aggressively than all the others. Obviously, that can change in a hurry as the deadline nears.
