Texas Rangers: Jonathan Lucroy Has No Regrets Over Vetoing Trade to Cleveland Indians
Jonathan Lucroy famously vetoed a trade to the Cleveland Indians this summer, instead choosing to go to the Texas Rangers. Now, he says that he has no regrets.
While it may seem like distant history by now, it was not too long ago that Jonathan Lucroy found himself in the center of a controversy over his decision to veto a trade to the Cleveland Indians. He felt that he had a better chance to maximize his value elsewhere, and the Milwaukee Brewers ultimately sent him to the Texas Rangers.
A few months later, and the decision looks even more complicated in hindsight. Lucroy’s Texas Rangers left the postseason rather quickly after suffering a three-game sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Cleveland Indians, by contrast, now find themselves in the World Series for the first time in 18 years.
Still, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reports that Jonathan Lucroy has no regrets about his decision. Despite the Rangers’ fleeting experience in the postseason, Lucroy said that he is not second-guessing his choice. Rather, he is looking to move on and focus on next season. He has one year left on his contract, and he certainly wants to cash in on a big payday if at all possible.
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Even if Lucroy is not regretting his decision, there is a good chance that the Cleveland Indians wish that he chose to join them instead. While the second half and the postseason have worked out well for the Tribe, their catchers have been uninspiring in that time. Since the All-Star Break, Indians catchers have posted the ninth-worst production by Wins Above Replacement. Their .206 batting average and .280 on-base percentage are far from good, but at least they had above-average defense.
Lucroy, on the other hand, posted a 131 weighted runs created plus with the Texas Rangers down the stretch, while posting similarly above-average defense. His production would likely have added an extra win or so to the Indians’ column, and his bat would certainly have been welcomed as a place in next year’s lineup.
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As easy as it is to play the what-if game, the Cleveland Indians still found a way to make it to the World Series without Jonathan Lucroy. Roberto Perez, who batted rather poorly during the regular season, helped to push the Tribe along in the postseason with a few critical hits. Both teams may not have too many regrets about this season, and that is certainly a pleasant occurrence.