Yankees Rumors: Didi Gregorius Could Be Indians Plan B if They Trade Francisco Lindor

Many people are under the impression that the Cleveland Indians will be looking to trade away their star shortstop Francisco Lindor this offseason, with the budget at the forefront of their concerns. Per ownership, the Indians will not have the financial resources to sign Lindor to a big money deal once his current contract expires, so therefore, a trade feels imminent.

So, who's next? Will the Indians go shopping to fill the role?

MLB Network Radio host and former New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips suggests that it would make a lot of sense to sign free agent Didi Gregorius if the Indians do, in fact, trade away Lindor.

Gregorius would be a surprisingly affordable option for Cleveland at shortstop. The 29-year-old did not receive a qualifying offer from the Yankees, which means there's no draft pick compensation attached to signing him.

Once in line to receive a major pay day, Gregorius slumped in his return from Tommy John surgery midway through 2019, and may be had on a two-year deal with a lower AAV than expected.

Cleveland only has two seasons to decide what they want to do with Lindor. If they ultimately choose to deal him while also wanting to remain relevant in the AL Central, then they are going to have to replace his production with multiple players.

Gregorius may not be the young superstar that Lindor is, but he is a a really solid player with postseason experience. If the Lindor era in Cleveland comes to an end this offseason, the Indians should absolutely go after Gregorius in free agency.