The Indians are interested in signing former White Sox outfielder Dayan Viciedo, reports Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cleveland has been searching for a right-handed platoon bat to complement their outfielders. Viciedo, who was released by the White Sox on February 4th, offers plenty of power with 60 home runs over the last three seasons. His best numbers come against left-handed pitchers.
The Indians face an uphill battle to woo Viciedo according to Hoynes. The roster is already crowded in the outfield with Michael Brantley, Michael Bourn, David Murphy, Brandon Moss, Nick Swisher, and Ryan Raburn in the mix. Murphy has already stated he would be open to a trade if playing time was scarce. Viciedo may want to sign with a team that offers a better opportunity to start.
Hoynes figures it will take a major league contract to acquire Viciedo. Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets “unless it’s a minor league deal, [it] doesn’t seem like a fit.” Last weekend, I asked which team was the most likely to acquire Viciedo. The Tigers were the favorite destination at nearly 19 percent, while the Phillies and Giants each checked in around 15 percent.
