Following the 2018 MLB Winter Meetings, What's Next for the Indians?

The 2018 MLB Winter Meetings are officially over, and the Cleveland Indians didn't leave Vegas quietly, as Thursday they dealt first basemen/DH Edwin

The 2018 MLB Winter Meetings are officially over, and the Cleveland Indians didn't leave Vegas quietly, as Thursday they dealt first basemen/DH Edwin Encarnacion to the Seattle Mariners, and third basemen Yandy Diaz to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The return brings them Carlos Santana, a player Indians fans know all too well, as he comes back to likely play first base, and a young 22-year old first basemen/outfielder named Jake Bauers, who is a player the Indians have had their eyes on for some time.

The team still has holes to fill and work to do, and today we take a look at four things that could be next for the franchise, as with Christmas closing in and spring training a few months away, the Indians will look to continue to develop their roster for the 2019 season.

1. Kluber or Bauer Are Still on the Market

Despite leaving Vegas with both Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer on their roster, don't think for a second that it's a 'for sure' these two will be wearing a Tribe uniform come opening day.

The Indians still have a major deal left in them this offseason to fill voids in the outfield and bullpen, and their best bargaining chip is still one of those pitchers.

From the sounds of things at the meetings the Indians were asking for a boatload for one of these players in return, and they should, as getting a pitcher as good as either Kluber or Bauer on the open market is not going to be cheap for some team.

Would the Indians love to hold on to these two pitchers? Yes. Can they and still fill all the voids on the roster before opening day 2019? Not likely.

2. Expect Alonso Gone Next

If you add in newly acquired Jake Bauers and Carlos Santana, the Indians have three first basemen on their roster right now, and that won't be the case come spring training.

The team would love to continue to drop some payroll, and the way to do that is to deal firstbasmen Yonder Alonso to a team that still is looking for a bat in their lineup at a reasonable price.

Trading Alonso will save the Indians $8 mil this season, and while Thurday's deal saved them some money, expect a deal to trade Alonso, who hit .250 with 23 homers last year, to be more like the trade of Yan Gomes, one that will net a few prospects.

Yes losing both Edwin Encarnacion and Alonso from the lineup will leave a dearth of a lot of homers, but that's the economic climate this team is in at the moment.

3. The Market for Kip

The Indians deal on Thursday sending Yandy Diaz to the Rays means that (for now), Jason Kipnis is back as the team's full-time second basemen.

At 32 years old and set to make $14.6 million this season, the Indians would be miracle workers if they can somehow rid themselves of that contract and send Kipnis elsewhere.

Of course that's easier said than done, and not many teams are in the market looking for a 32-year-old infielder who in his last two years has hit .232 and .232 with a combined 30 homers and 110 RBI.

IF the Indians can find a way in dealing of their starters for a couple players and prospects AND shoehorn Kip into that deal - it would greatly benefit this team from a fiscal standpoint, and they would get rid of a huge contract in the process.

4. Free Agents Anyone?

MLB.com today speculated that now with the Winter Meetings over, the Indians will comb the market looking to fill the huge void they have in the outfield.

While that need can be met with a big deal for Kluber or Bauer still (or even Yonder Alonso), the site says there's a couple names to keep your eye on that the Indians might look at.

Those names include Marwin Gonzalez, Nick Markakis and Adam Jones. None of those guys are going to make anyone run out and buy a ticket season plan, but at the end of the day they fill a void this team sorely needs.

Jones would be a perfect fit at the right price, as last year he hit .281 with 15 homers and 63 RBI for the awful Orioles.

Though those numbers were down from his usual performance, the Indians might get a guy who is motivated to get his career back on track.

Gonzalez hit .248 with 16 homers and 68 RBI in Houston last year at 29 years old, and Markakis in Atlanta might be the most expensive of the bunch, as he hit .293 with 14 homers and 93 RBI at 34 years old.

Expect to hear some (by baseball terms) inexpensive names that for both the pen and outfield, as the Indians front office will do what they can to fill the voids this team still has.