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Olney on Brad Hand:
Brad Hand, Cleveland Indians
The two-time All-Star is having a spectacular season, with a 1.01 ERA, and seven walks and 39 strikeouts in 26⅔ innings. The 29-year-old is making $7.1 million this year, $7.6 million next year, and his contract, signed when he was in the Padres' organization, holds a $10 million team option for 2021, with a $1 million buyout.
So any team interested in making a deal with the Indians would not only have to properly compensate Cleveland for one of the best relievers in baseball, but also for the value of a deal that is relatively modest. Hand makes less than the Dodgers' Joe Kelly, who got $25 million over three years with the Dodgers last winter.
Given the challenges of their market and resulting payroll, the Indians will always objectively evaluate offers for players who have outsized value -- and Hand fits that description right now. And the Indians are in the same position of leverage that the Yankees were when they dangled Andrew Miller in the market in the summer of 2016. Cleveland could insist on strong return, or they can simply keep Hand to be their closer in 2020.
Evaluators with other teams believe the Indians will move Hand, because of the volatility of reliever performance, and because Hand's value will never be higher than it is right now.
Brad Hand, Cleveland Indians
The two-time All-Star is having a spectacular season, with a 1.01 ERA, and seven walks and 39 strikeouts in 26⅔ innings. The 29-year-old is making $7.1 million this year, $7.6 million next year, and his contract, signed when he was in the Padres' organization, holds a $10 million team option for 2021, with a $1 million buyout.
So any team interested in making a deal with the Indians would not only have to properly compensate Cleveland for one of the best relievers in baseball, but also for the value of a deal that is relatively modest. Hand makes less than the Dodgers' Joe Kelly, who got $25 million over three years with the Dodgers last winter.
Given the challenges of their market and resulting payroll, the Indians will always objectively evaluate offers for players who have outsized value -- and Hand fits that description right now. And the Indians are in the same position of leverage that the Yankees were when they dangled Andrew Miller in the market in the summer of 2016. Cleveland could insist on strong return, or they can simply keep Hand to be their closer in 2020.
Evaluators with other teams believe the Indians will move Hand, because of the volatility of reliever performance, and because Hand's value will never be higher than it is right now.