Report: Encarnacion persuaded Indians to sign Wily Mo Pena

Move over LeBron James, there's a new sheriff in Cleveland convincing a front office to make some moves.

Before the Indians signed 35-year-old Wily Mo Pena - who last played in the majors in 2011 - it was Edwin Encarnacion who told the team to travel to the Dominican Republic to see Pena train, according to Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. As it turns out, the Indians signed the veteran shortly thereafter.

Encarnacion and Pena have long been friends and although Pena's deal with the Tribe doesn't extend to the big-league camp, he will have an opportunity to prove himself with the organization's minor-league players.

Related: What MLB was like last time Wily Mo Pena played a game

Pena last suited up for the Seattle Mariners in 2011 and didn't play baseball at all last season. His last game action game came in 2015 in Japan, where he hit .268/.396/.448 with 17 home runs and 40 RBIs with the Rakuten Golden Eagles.