CLEVELAND — Editor's Note: The above video aired on November 5, 2020
Prior to the 8:00 p.m. deadline on Wednesday evening, the Cleveland Indians opted to non-tender contracts to outfielders Delino DeShields and Tyler Naquin, along with pitcher Jefry Rodriguez.
The Tribe did tender 2021 contracts to shortstop Francisco Lindor, pitchers Nick Wittgren and Phil Maton, plus catcher Austin Hedges. The four are all arbitration-eligible.
Naquin was a former first-round draft pick for the Indians in 2012. He will best be remembered for a dramatic, inside-the-park, walk-off home run in 2016 against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Naquin hit .274 during his time as an Indian with 31 homers and 121 RBI, but managed just a .218 average with four home runs and 20 RBI in 2020.
DeShields was acquired in the Corey Kluber trade with the Texas Rangers last year, but only managed to hit .252 with seven RBI as a member of the Tribe.
Rodríguez came to the Indians in the Yan Gomes trade from the Washington Nationals following the 2018 season. In 2019, he appeared in 10 games for Cleveland, compiling a 1-5 record with 4.63 ERA and 46.2 strikeouts in 33.0 innings pitched. He did not pitch for the Indians in 2020 due to injury.
The Indians' 40-man roster stands at 37.
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