These aren't the same old Indians, ones that have been accused of being cheap or too passive. That argument, popular among fans since the turn of the century, would be a hard sell now.
On Thursday night, the Indians reportedly reached an agreement with Edwin Encarnacion, one of the game's premier sluggers and the top free agent on the market.
The deal, first reported by Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports and MLB Network, is reportedly for three years and $60-65 million and includes a club option for a fourth year. Encarnacion's deal is the largest free-agent contract to which the Indians have ever agreed. The signing also comes with more than just a financial cost, as the Indians will lose their first-round pick in the upcoming amateur draft. His former club, the Toronto Blue Jays, gave Encarnacion a qualifying offer, which he declined.
It signals an aggressive move by the normally cautious Indians, who showed last season that when the time is right, they would be willing to pull the trigger despite high costs. They added Andrew Miller, one of the top relievers in the game and a huge asset in the postseason, as well as outfielder Brandon Guyer, at last season's trade deadline. Now, they've added a key slugger to the middle of their lineup.
Last season, Encarnacion hit 42 home runs and drove in an American League-leading 127 runs. He batted .263 with an .886 OPS. He's totaled at least 34 home runs, 98 RBIs and an .886 OPS in each of the past five seasons, putting him near the top of the list among the game's power hitters.
Encarnacion fills the biggest need on the roster and stands as an upgrade over Mike Napoli, who was still connected to discussions with the Indians this week but on a shorter, cheaper deal.
Encarnacion likely will take over the primary designated hitter role and will surely hit in the middle of the Indians' lineup. Carlos Santana, who had his option for 2017 picked up by the Indians, could receive increased playing time at first base.
This signing was made possible in part by a perfect storm of circumstances. Encarnacion was thought to be looking at a much more lucrative deal when this offseason started, but a saturated market and the draft pick compensation tied to him lowered his price tag. The Indians, meanwhile, not only were a perfect fit as a landing spot, but also had additional means thanks to the addition of a minority investor and the extra revenue from their postseason run.
The addition of Encarnacion also lines up well with their current competitive window. The Indians are built to be sustainable, with much of their current core under club control through at least the 2020 season and almost all of it staying in Cleveland through 2018.
Along with the possible addition of a healthy Michael Brantley, the Indians are looking at a lineup in 2017 with some added punch. And, it appears they've shredded any notion of letting their window to the World Series close any time soon.
