Indians vying for Swisher, Youkilis

Rumors have surfaced that the Indians are heavily pursuing free-agents Kevin Youkilis (1B / 3B) and Nick Swisher (OF / 1B).

The Indians have need in both their infield and outfield. Youkilis, who turns 34 in March, hit .235 / .336 / .409 last year split between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox. All three of those statistics are career-lows for Youkilis, who reportedly was unhappy with the situation in Boston before being traded to Chicago. Were Youkilis to sign with Cleveland, he would likely spend most of his time at third base, as veteran infielder Jack Hannahan reportedly has offers to several other clubs in need of a third baseman or utility infielder, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Yankees. Youkilis also has offers from several teams other than Cleveland, most notably the Yankees.

Swisher, 32, spent most of his time last year with New York in right field, but is also a capable defender at first base. He filled in very well when Mark Teixeira was on the disabled list. Swisher is also a switch hitter with a good deal of power in his bat. Swisher hit .272 / .364 / .473 in 2012, and his left-right splits are nearly identical. Swisher has been linked to other teams as well, including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, and Tampa Bay.