Report: Tribe willing to trade Kluber

The Indians have chosen to not make qualifying offers to any of their free agents, the club announced Nov. 2.

Left fielder Michael Brantley heads the list of Indians’ free agents. Relief pitchers Cody Allen, Andrew Miller and Oliver Perez, starting pitcher Josh Tomlin, outfielders Melky Cabrera, Lonnie Chisenhall and Rajai Davis plus infielders Josh Donaldson and Adam Rosales are also on their free-agent list. Donaldson is not eligible for a qualifying offer because he started the 2018 season with the Blue Jays.

In perhaps bigger news than the Indians declining to make qualifying offers to their free agents, ESPN is reporting the Tribe will listen to trade offers for any of their players with the exception of shortstop Francisco Lindor and infielder Jose Ramirez. That means the Indians will listen to offers for starting pitchers Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer plus designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and catchers Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez, among others, according to ESPN senior writer Buster Olney.

A qualifying offer for any free agent would be $17.9 million. The Indians can still negotiate with Brantley and any of their free agents. In fact, Indians president Chris Antonetti on a conference call said the Indians assured Brantley they definitely want to keep him in a Tribe uniform.

“I talked to Michael this morning,” Antonetti said. “I reiterated that; the interest is undoubtable. We could not have any more respect for any individual than we have for Michael. He epitomizes all of the things we look for in a player.

“He is exceedingly productive on the field. He defines professionalism in the clubhouse. He’s an extraordinary teammate. The interest and desire is there. What we will have to work through is can we make the pieces fit with the balance of our roster and all of the other decisions we have to make. Michael will have to assess how we fit within how his market might be.”

Brantley, 31, has a career .295 batting average with 87 home runs and 528 RBI. Given his age, this might be his last chance to sign a huge contract.

A player receiving a qualifying offer has 10 days to accept or reject it. If he rejects it and signs with another team, his former team gets a draft pick at the end of the first round as compensation. For teams that can afford to commit nearly $18 million to a player for one year, it is a risk worth taking.

Antonetti said the Indians were reluctant to make the offer to Brantley because of other commitments to players already under contract and because of what awaits the Indians if Lindor and starting pitcher Trevor Bauer get to arbitration. Lindor, who made $623,200 in 2018, could be in the $12 million range next season.