Indians rumors: Cleveland interested in Mike Napoli, Chris Carter

Cleveland is seeking a starting first baseman and is interested in Mike Napoli and Chris Carter, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi.

The Indians are also open to adding Mitch Moreland or Adam Lind to fill their vacancy at first base, Morosi adds.

Napoli, 35, helped the Indians reach the World Series and batted .239/.335/.465 with 34 home runs and 101 RBIs over 150 games. He is a career .252 hitter but has proven to be a power threat the last few seasons.

Napoli might not require a large deal after making just $7 million last season, but he reportedly is seeking a multi-year deal this winter, and the Indians might not be in the position to give him one.

If Cleveland opts to move on from Napoli, Carter could be an ideal fit. Over 160 games with the Brewers last season, he hit .222/.321/.499 with 41 home runs and 94 RBIs. Like Napoli, Carter is vulnerable to striking out routinely, but he is a comparably cheap option and would bring immediate power to the Indians lineup.

Lind and Moreland would both add left-handed power to Cleveland’s lineup, but regardless, the Indians are in need of first base depth, which would enable them to have Carlos Santana play first base but predominantly serve as the designated hitter.