"If newly acquired Indians outfielder Kosuke Fukudome didn't ring your bell, don't burn your Chief Wahoo jersey just yet. GM Chris Antonetti is still trying to improve his second-place ballclub, which picked up a half-game on the AL Central-leading Tigers on Thursday without even playing.

"We feel we're better today than we were yesterday," said Antonetti, talking Thursday about the trade that brought the 34-year-old Fukudome to Cleveland from the Cubs for prospects Abner Abreu and right-hander Carlton Smith. "We improved incrementally."

The deadline for making deals without waivers is Sunday at 4 p.m. Should the Indians stay in contention through the heat of August, the next deadline to ponder is Aug. 31. Waivers will be needed on traded players at that point, but it's the last time a team can add help and have it be eligible for the postseason.

"We're going to look at any way we can improve our run scoring and run prevention," Antonetti said. "Fukudome helps us with both those things."

Antonetti said he's open to adding a pitcher or another hitter. He said just because Fukudome is scheduled to get most of the playing time in right field, and Shin-Soo Choo and Grady Sizemore are scheduled to come off the disabled list sometime between late August and early September, he would consider adding another outfielder, who could supply immediate help in trying to reclaim first place in the AL Central."