CLEVELAND, ATLANTA SWAP VETERAN BATS
The Cleveland Indians acquired infielder Chris Johnson from the Atlanta Braves for outfielder/first baseman Nick Swisher, outfielder Michael Bourn and cash.
What does it give the Cleveland Guardians
For Cleveland this deal moves a lot of salary for both this and next season. It also brings in a very solid (if not stellar) veteran bat with Johnson. The Indians can slot Johnson in at first base, third base, or DH depending on the matchup and he'll immediately provide a righty platoon at the hot corner along with lefty Lonnie Chisenhall. Plus, Cleveland pays far less salary overall between now and the end of the '17 season (when Johnson's deal expires), although Johnson has one year more on his contract than Swisher or Bourn.
What does it give the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta pays a fairly hefty price salary-wise for next season in adding two big contracts in Swisher and Bourn, but they also clear Johnson's salary off the ledger for 2017 (and the deals of Bourn and Swisher come off the books after 2016 as well). Clearly Braves management is looking to have financial flexibility after 2016, and they get two above-average vets as well. The cash makes the contracts easier to carry.
Fantasy impact
Johnson should be expected to see a solid boost in playing time now that he's with Cleveland. He was mostly a fill-in / matchup player at first and third for Atlanta, but now he has the option of DH-ing on an AL team. This move may also mean a callup this summer for outfield uber-prospect Bradley Zimmer. On the Atlanta side of the deal, Swisher should be as productive as usual (at least in the short term) and should play fairly regularly at first base filling in for the currently-injured Freddie Freeman. Meanwhile Bourn joins an outfield mix that includes Cameron Maybin, Nick Markakis, and Jonny Gomes, so expect him to platoon in left field with Gomes (a development that should make Bourn's already-dismal fantasy season even worse).
