MLB Trade Rumors: 5 Cleveland Indians That Could be Dealt

5 Cleveland Indians That Could be Traded

The Cleveland Indians may very well be the biggest surprise so far in the 2013 MLB season. They can hit, hit with power and aren't bad at pitching, making for a first-place team in the AL Central.

By recently overtaking the top spot in the division, the Indians most likely won't be looking to unload by the trade deadline. Instead, they will be looking to stock up on talent — preferably young talent.

I am going to take a look at five players that could be traded in order to maximize the talent on the field and chemistry in the clubhouse. While they are on a roll right now and changing anything might hurt clubhouse morale, something may need to be tweaked down the line in order to pull away from the Detroit Tigers.

The Indians may have one of the better offenses in the league thanks to the strong play of Carlos Santana, Michael Brantley, Mark Reynolds and Ryan Raburn. These guys have come out of nowhere to fans outside of Cleveland and are making the Indians look like a true contender instead of a pretender.

Pitching has been the weak link of the team thus far in 2013. The Indians have developed three solid starting pitchers in Justin Masterson, Trevor Bauer and Zach McAllister that all have ERAs close to three.

The other two starters haven't been so lucky, with ERAs above five, leaving the Indians wondering what a solid fourth and fifth starter would do for their team in the long-run.

Any way you look at it, the Indians are one of baseball's pleasant surprises — not so much for the teams in their division, but you get the idea.

Here are the top five players that could be traded if the Indians are shopping around the trade deadline.

Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

Brett Myers

In each of the four games that Brett Myers has pitched in so far in this young season, the Indians have lost. I'm not saying anything conclusive, but he started three of those games and his elevated 8.02 ERA isn't helping Cleveland win. The 32-year-old starter has been on the disabled list since April 19, but is set to make a rehab start on Tuesday. However, the Indians would be wise to shop him around and see what they can get for him. He is not worth the hassle right now.

Jason Giambi

Jason Giambi is exactly what you would consider an aging star. In fact, some people probably didn't even know he was still playing baseball. The Indians' designated hitter, however, has played in 15 games this season, but is hitting just a measly .196 with two home runs and 12 RBI — some solid run production. He is 42 years old and far past his prime. He may be retiring after the season, so why not try to get something for him?

Mark Reynolds

Mark Reynolds posses a lot of power, but his lack of average and ability to get on base could be an issue for the Indians in the long-run. The Indians are contending for a division title and if they are still doing so a few months from now, it would be smart to unload this veteran power hitter for a guy who can get on base. It's quite the risk if you have a guy that only either hits a home run or strikes out.

Ryan Raburn

Ryan Raburn struggled for years to find a home in Detroit. But with the Cleveland Indians, he has found a new beginning. The seven-year veteran is hitting close to .300 this season with four homers and 11 RBI. His on-base percentage is approaching .360 and he looks better than he ever has. Although he may strike out a lot, he would make a solid addition to any team looking for a veteran presence.

Ubaldo Jimenez

When the Indians picked up Ubaldo Jimenez at the trade deadline in 2011, they thought they were getting a guy that was a Cy Young candidate and a top-of-the-rotation type of guy. However, that was not the case as the 29-year-old has yet to achieve an ERA under five in his one and a half seasons with the Indians. This could be an issue, but he could be a pretty solid fifth starter for any team looking to rebuild.