Report: Indians agree to trade Corey Kluber to Rangers
After whiffing on one of the big fishes in this year’s free agent class in Anthony Rendon, the Texas Rangers made a splash anyway with a trade for former Cy Young winner Corey Kluber.
Kluber deal to Rangers is agreed to, pending physicals
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 15, 2019
Kluber is set to be paid $17.5 million for the 2020 season, with an $18 million club option for 2021. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Cleveland Indians will receive outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. and right-handed pitcher Emmanuel Clase from Texas.
Rangers get an ace in Corey Kluber
The move ends Kluber’s nine-year tenure in Cleveland, in which he was a two-time Cy Young winner and three-time All-Star with a career ERA of 3.16.
Kluber has been the ace of an impressive Cleveland rotation and one of the steadiest pitchers in baseball for years, but he still comes with a bit of risk at 33 years old and having missed most of last season due to injury.
He hit the injured list in early May after a line drive fractured his right elbow, and a potential return in August was cut off by an oblique injury. Kluber finished the season with a career-worst 5.80 ERA in seven starts.
Even after that rough 2019, Kluber still adds an elite arm to the Rangers rotation. That unit already featured two of 2019’s biggest surprises in Mike Minor and Lance Lynn, who ranked second and third last season in bWAR among MLB pitchers.
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