Will the Indians Pull the Trigger on a Free Agent Oufielder to Help for 2019?

Jordan Luplow in left, Leonys Martin in center, Tyler Naquin in right. According to the Indians official website, that's how the team's outfield looks right

Jordan Luplow in left, Leonys Martin in center, Tyler Naquin in right.

According to the Indians official website, that's how the team's outfield looks right now in terms of starters as we sit about 45 days away from the start of spring training in Goodyear, Arizona.

Not exactly an outfield that will strike fear in the hearts of opposing teams, nor one that can be considered finished by any means by the team that is going to look to win their fourth straight AL Central title in 2019.

At this point, the only real way this team is going to improve the outfield is pretty simple - make a trade to acquire a player for one of the three outfield spots (likely one involving one of the premiere starting pitchers like Corey Kluber), or continue to wait out the free agent market and hope that a player falls in their laps at the right price.

Right now it's been rather quiet in terms of players inking with other teams, and when you look at all the big name free agents out there, it's crazy to see that there's a number of huge players that have yet to find a new team.

Now don't get too excited, as everyone knows that it's just a matter of time before the likes of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado find a new residence (or in the case of Harper possibly sign with their old one), and a lot of people feel that once those two pieces fall, a lot of other free agents will know their market value better.

According to MLB.com's list of 2018-19 free agents, there's still 26 available outfielders on their list, and right now only nine free agent outfielders have inked thus far.

The Indians have greatly reduced their payroll so far this offseason with a number of deals, but unless there's a big trade coming might have to re-invest back into the free agent market to be competitive at the outfield spot.

Here's some top names to keep in mind and keep an eye on as things move forward for Indians fans if the team is going to ink an outfielder to help for 2019 and possibly beyond.

1. A.J. Pollock

These are names that Tribe fans are probably most familiar with when it comes to players that the team could ink and plug into an outfield spot right away, but the issue is (of course) is it's going to cost them.

Pollock is a name that could settle down the negative vibes the team has developed with the deals they have made so far this offseason, but mind you he's going to cost a LOT of money, and according to reports is looking to hit the jackpot for around $80 million this offseason.

The Diamondbacks free agent last season hit .257 with 21 homers and 65 RBI, and in seven years in Arizona has a career .281 batting average with 74 homers and 264 RBI. He's 31, and reports say he wants a five-year deal.

It's a lot of money for a guy who has never hit more than 21 homers in a season, and his career best in average is .315.

2. Marwin Gonzalez

Gonzalez is 29 years old, and in seven seasons with Houston hit a career .264 with 76 homers and 264 RBI. Last season he hit .247 with 16 homers and 68 runs batted in.

He is a more affordable option, and can also play left field, which is a position the team really needs to fill now that Michael Brantley is in Houston.

A story just a few days back had the Reds as a possible fit for Gonzalez, but they've already made plenty of moves this offseason with the trade to get a couple Dodgers outfielders.

He would fill a position of need for the team, and also the one big selling point for him to come to Cleveland is that he'd start everyday with a great chance to be in the postseason in October.

3. Adam Jones

Jones would be an interesting option at 33 years old, and knows the American League from his years with both the Mariners and Orioles.

He also showed last year on an awful O's team that he doesn't give up even on a bad team, as he hit .281 with 15 homers and 63 RBI.

It's been rather quiet for where he might go, with the Rangers possibly being a fit, but you can say that about the Indians as well.

A story a few months back on Fansided stated that the Indians were the number one possible landing spot for Jones in 2019.

Jones pulled in a cool $17 mil last season in Baltimore, but would have to take a massive pay cut to get a long term deal in 2019.

4. Nick Markakis

Markakis has been around, playing in both the AL and NL, and at 35 years old might be an affordable option for the Tribe to play right field.

Last year with the Braves, he hit .297 with 14 homers and 93 RBI. Solid numbers for the NL East Champs, and again once the big names ink you would think that with his tenure that a couple teams would be in the mix for his services.

He's a lifetime .288 hitter, but has been very up and down the last four years with the Braves in terms of power, hitting just three homers in 2015, 13 in 2016, eight in 2017, and then 14 last season.

He played nine years with the Orioles, and never hit less than 10 homers in a season, and his lowest batting average in those years was .271.

His age might scare some teams off of paying him big, but a two or three-year deal might be of interest to teams like the Indians looking to add an outfielder.