Cleveland Indians should keep Jason Kipnis in 2018

Jason Kipnis’ name has been brought up in trade speculation, but the Cleveland Indians shouldn’t part with the veteran this offseason.

While most of the baseball community waits with bated breath to see where Giancarlo Stanton will end up, Cleveland Indians fans have their own trade speculation to keep an eye on.

Jason Kipnis‘ name has been floated as a potentially movable piece, and his future with the Tribe seems at least somewhat up in the air.

On the surface, the speculation is understandable. Jose Ramirez established himself as an indisputably solid option at second base during Kipnis’ absence in an injury-plagued 2017 season. If the Indians elect to turn full-time duties at second over to Ramirez, it would presumably leave Kipnis without a position.

Moreover, the Indians have enough infield depth to account for that transition. Giovanny Urshela and Erik Gonzalez are both capable of playing multiple infield positions, and Yandy Diaz is a serviceable option at third.

Throw in the potential of future household name Francisco Mejia seeing some time at third base as well, and it becomes clear why the Indians could live with trading Kipnis.

With all that said, the Indians should not trade him.

Kipnis offers Cleveland a positional versatility that, as little as six months ago, would’ve seemed absolutely ludicrous to even talk about. But late in 2017, because of how well the team was playing with Ramirez at second, Kipnis made the experimental move to center field for the first time in his Major League career.

It wasn’t the most seamless transition, but it came on pretty short notice for a guy who hasn’t played the outfield in seven years. Given a full offseason to prepare, it stands to reason that Kipnis could become a serviceable corner outfielder in 2018.

If that is the route he and the Indians decide to go next season, the team instantly becomes more versatile. It also serves as part of an in-house solution to assuage the potential losses of Jay Bruce and Carlos Santana. And most of all, having a veteran like Kipnis able to slot in at multiple positions makes the Indians all the more prepared for the inevitability of injuries.

Of course, maybe it’s too much to ask a guy who’s spent his entire career at one position to suddenly develop into a multi-positional player at the age of 30. If so, maybe a trade to a team in need of a second baseman benefits Kipnis as much as it does anyone else.

But it’s hard to believe that would be the case for one simple reason: Kipnis is a great teammate. It was his own selflessness that led to him giving it a go in the outfield to begin with. He’s precisely the kind of player a team on the brink of a World Series needs, both in the clubhouse and on the field.

Next: How a potential Bryan Shaw departure shakes up the ‘pen

The Indians front office extended a show of good faith to Michael Brantley by picking up his $12 million option for 2018. They need to have that same faith in Jason Kipnis.