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After missing out on Shane Victorino, the Cleveland Indians have become one of the teams involved on free agent outfielder Nick Swisher, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com. The Indians appear to have some money to spend this offseason, making the team a potentially legitimate suitor for the veteran.
Multiple sources have reported that the Indians offered Victorino a four-year, $44 million contract before he ultimately accepted a three-year, $39 million deal with the Boston Red Sox. It's unclear what kind of money Swisher is seeking exactly, but those reports would seem to indicate that the Indians have some room in their budget.
Swisher, 32, has been among the most consistent power hitters in baseball over the past few years, averaging nearly 26 homers per year since 2005. In 2012 with the Yankees, he hit .272/.364/.473 with 36 doubles and 24 homers, playing in 148 or more games for the seventh straight season.