What August trade options do the Cleveland Indians have left?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's been two weeks since the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline passed, but there are deals out there that can still be made. And the Cleveland Indians have been experts in the August waiver trade market for the last two seasons.

Teams can still make trades before the season ends by sneaking candidates through the waiver system, but players must be added to the 40-man roster before Aug. 31 in order to be eligible for the postseason.

Cleveland acquired Coco Crisp in a 2016 August trade on the way to a World Series appearance. And Jay Bruce's August acquisition in 2017 propelled the Tribe to a record 22-game win streak and the best record in the American League.

This season, the need to add an extra outfield bat has never been more urgent. The team recently announced that Leonys Martin, acquired at the July 31 trade deadline, is battling a serious bacterial infection, and there is no telling when or if he will return. And designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion went on the disabled list last weekend with an arm injury.

Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said the team is continuing to look for ways to improve the roster as a third consecutive trip to the playoffs draws near. But Antonetti is determined to make moves that benefit the franchise in the long run. By trading for players with controllable years and manageable contracts that will not hamper Cleveland's efforts to remain competitive beyond just 2018.

With that said, the prospects for a deal on the August trade market this year look pretty grim. Here are some of the options the Indians are faced with. Only a handful of them seem worthwhile to pursue.

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