A reunion with Big Lon was inevitable, wasn’t it? The cost to add Lonnie Chisenhall to the 2019 Indians was minimal, and the benefits are immediate. With healthy calves, the lefty is back to his old ways, looking like his 2017 self. In the second half alone, he drives in 35 runs and hits at a .280 clip. His defense is an upgrade over Tyler Naquin as well.
But the biggest boost in Chisenhall’s return is to his BFF, Jason Kipnis. Hitting seven-eight in the order, the duo turn the biggest weakness on the roster —- the lower half of the order — into a threat, as Kipnis rips off a 15-game hit streak between August and September.