Indians Rumors: Tribe Likely to Keep Choo, Perez

The Cleveland Indians expect to hang on to their biggest trade pieces, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, meaning that outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and reliever Chris Perez will likely remain with the Tribe.

#indians expect to hold most/all of key pieces. tough spot, on cusp of race. #choo #perez

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 31, 2012

At just five games out of the AL Central and five and a half out of the second wild card spot, the Indians are in a very difficult position. While it was rumored last week the Tribe was ready to be sellers at the deadline, they have now apparently decided to take their chances on winning now rather than trading players away to build for the future.

The Indians could still deal a starting pitcher like Justin Masterson, who has drawn interest from the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers, but Choo and Perez appear to be off-limits.

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Will the Indians still be in playoff contention in September?

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