And this from the guy who values prospects above all else!!!!!

OK, this season can go one of three ways:

A. We do enough to win it all

B. We don't do anything and this season is disappointing

C. We do something, or we don't do anything, and the season is cancelled at some point due to Covid-19.

As has been said already, this is the most dangerous trade deadline in history...for all teams in contention.  

Given that backdrop, the Indians need hitting and could use a little insurance in the bullpen...or a minor leaguer like Nick Sandlin needs to step up.

So how we do navigate this tough time with the needs we have.

First, if you want to trade assume you are going to give up one or both of Nolan Jones and Triston McKenzie.  

Second, if you do this properly you won't be trading for rent-a-players.   The threat of a season cancellation due to the pandemic is too great to risk prospects, even middling prospects, on a guy who might not get to play any meaningful games for your team.  

Third, with 16 teams in the playoffs it is very likely there will be less sellers at the deadline.   Thanks you Captain Obvious!!!

If you are on board with these premises and projecting what it was thought that teams would do at the beginning of the year, here are possible trades we could do:

Triston McKenzie and Daniel Johnson to the Royals for Whit Merrifield.   This seems like a lot for Merrifield but it is 3+ years of Merrifield and he is versatile and should be productive for all those years.  Plus by the time the Royals are competitive again Merrifield will be nearing the end of his contract.   Maybe we can get them to throw in Scott Barlow.  

Kyle Seager for Nolan Jones.   This fit is a little worse.  Seager is a third baseman and we have one.  We could DH him or Ramirez but that would put Reyes in the outfield and Seager and Ramirez might not like being the DH.    Plus Seager has a hefty contract of $18 million next year and would have a player option at $18 million for 2022 which might make him too rich for us.  Maybe we take on that salary if we get a current reliever like Matt McGill in addition to Seager.

Josh Bell for Triston McKenzie, Nolan Jones and Cam Hill.   Yeah, doubt if this one would work, either.   But Bell is enticing if we move Santana to DH and Reyes to the outfield.  Bell has this year plus two arbitration years before he reaches free agency and his salary is reasonable right now and should probably be reasonable next year, as well.  Tito would like this one as Bell would be another switch hitter for him although his splits against lefties are not that good.  

So this is all I could come up with.right now.   As I said, unless some team just collapses, these are the trades that I think are doable for the Indians and none of these trades kills them if the season is cancelled this year.