The Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians pulled off the first blockbuster of the MLB offseason on Sunday, as the Indians agreed to send two-time American League Cy Young winner Corey Kluber to the Rangers in exchange for outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. and hard-throwing reliever Emmanuel Clase:
OF Delino DeShields Jr. and RHP Emmanuel Clase heading to #Indians for Kluber, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 15, 2019
It certainly has not taken long for the trade market to heat up even following one of the more eventful Winter Meetings in recent memory.
Kluber made just seven starts for the Indians last year due to injury, but he still has ace-level stuff and solidifies a Texas rotation that is suddenly one of the better groups in the AL.
Meanwhile, the Indians received a potential star out of the bullpen while also shedding payroll in an effort to possibly extend star shortstop Francisco Lindor.
Let's break it down.
What it means for the Rangers
Two things: desperation, but also … why not?
Simply put, the Winter Meetings did not go as planned for Texas. They put all their chips on the table in an effort to land star third baseman Anthony Rendon, except they did not feel comfortable offering him a seven-year deal and instead have to face him at least 16 times per year.
The Rangers posited having money to spend and being aggressive, yet they were unwilling to go the extra mile on Rendon and then were almost immediately priced out of Josh Donaldson's market, according to Levi Weaver of The Athletic:
Sources indicate that the price on Josh Donaldson has exceeded the Rangers' comfort level, and they are likely out.
So ignore the first option I listed here, I guess https://t.co/lEXNujroVm
— Levi Weaver (@ThreeTwoEephus) December 12, 2019
Texas still must address plenty of holes in its lineup, with third base being the foremost priority.
Even still, the move for Kluber is a winner. The Rangers did have to give up Clase, but DeShields is not much of a loss, and they are getting a legitimate ace capable of putting up quality starts against the dangerous lineups of the AL West.
Kluber ranked third among all pitchers — trailing just Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw — in fWAR between 2014 and 2018, racking up a pair of AL Cy Young awards in the process.
If he is healthy, he is among the most dominant starters in baseball. He can locate the cutter against both right- and left-handed hitters, and his curveball is one of the best in the business.
The Rangers now have a rotation of Kluber, Lance Lynn, Mike Minor and two new additions in Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles. That is a far more complete group (with more upside) than the 2019 starters.
Remember both Lynn and Minor ranked in the top three in bWAR last season. If Gibson can rebound from a tough 2019 and Kluber gets back to form, this is as deep as any rotation in baseball.
Are the Rangers going to struggle to score runs? Sure. But in Kluber, they now have a marketable star to attract fans to the new stadium in Arlington. And, most importantly, the Rangers and general manager Jon Daniels are probably not finished making moves.
What it means for the Indians
Easy. The Indians are cutting payroll.
This is hardly a surprise to Indians fans. They have explored potential deals for Kluber over the course of the last couple years as they look to cut costs and capitalize on a strong group of homegrown arms.
Kluber is not the most expensive piece — especially in light of recent free-agent deals — given that he will make just $17.5 million in 2019. However, Cleveland already has the assets to succeed without Kluber in the rotation, and moving his salary off the payroll might give them the slightest bit of flexibility.
Shortstop Francisco Lindor has been a name that has been tossed around in trade rumors throughout the offseason, but the Indians appear more likely to retain him for the time being.
With Kluber gone, it is possible they could pursue other moves to open up payroll and talk extension with Lindor. He is inarguably their most marketable star, not to mention one of the very best shortstops in the game.
Do not underestimate Clase's value in this deal, either. The 21-year-old posted a 2.31 ERA in 23 1/3 innings of work last season, and he is the kind of controllable asset the Indians love.
The Tribe felt comfortable dealing Kluber with a strong rotation and an eye toward the future. Now, will they be more open to spending on Lindor, or is this merely a short-term kind of move?
Time will tell.
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