Kluber Traded to Rangers

[a700hitter]

[h=2]Rangers To Acquire Corey Kluber[/h]By Anthony Franco | December 15, 2019 at 11:44am CDT

11:44 am: Center fielder Delino DeShields, Jr. is also headed to Cleveland, reports Rosenthal (via Twitter).

11:42 am: Reliever Emmanuel Clase is part of the return heading to Cleveland, hears Levi Weaver of the Athletic (via Twitter).

11:07 am: The Rangers are finalizing a deal to acquire Corey Kluber from the Guardians, reports Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic (via Twitter). The deal is agreed to, pending physicals of the players involved, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter).

A fractured forearm and an oblique strain combined to limit Kluber to just seven underwhelming starts in 2019, but he was one of the sport’s true aces over the preceding half-decade. From 2014-18, Kluber averaged over 200 innings per season with a 2.85 ERA and a nearly-identical 2.84 FIP. Among qualified starters, only Clayton Kershaw, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer bested that ERA, while only Chris Sale, Kershaw and Scherzer topped Kluber’s combination of strikeouts (28.5%) and walks (5.2%). Kluber was twice rewarded for his dominance with the AL Cy Young Award in 2014 and 2017.

Of course, it’s anyone’s guess whether the 33-year-old Kluber will recapture that level of dominance. Kluber’s initial injury was certainly fluky, as he was struck by a 102 MPH line drive off the bat of Miami’s Brian Anderson. Prior to the injury, though, he hadn’t quite resembled his previous self. Kluber’s strikeout rate was down to just 22.6% in 2019, while his walk rate spiked 8.9%. His fastball velocity, per Brooks Baseball, sat at a career-low 92.43 MPH, although pitchers tend to pick up velocity as they distance themselves from spring training, a luxury Kluber was never afforded. Kluber’s velocity has trended down consistently in recent years, though, and he now sits about two ticks slower than he did at his 2014 peak.

Kluber will make $17.5MM next season, and he is under control through 2021 via an $18MM team option (or a $1MM buyout). As Rosenthal notes (via Twitter), Kluber will receive a $1MM assignment bonus once the trade is finalized.

So continues an offseason trend for the Rangers, who have strengthened their starting rotation considerably. Kluber joins Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles (both of whom were brought in via free agency) to complement the strong duo of Lance Lynn and Mike Minor. Having missed out on their top free agent target, Anthony Rendon, the Rangers were reportedly pivoting to the trade market to address gaps on the roster.

Clase was among a handful of players generating interest league-wide. The 21-year-old made his MLB debut in 2019 and turned in 23.1 innings of 2.31 ERA ball. A fastball-slider reliever, Clase averaged an astounding 99.44 MPH on his heater, topping out at 102.02 MPH. He didn’t generate as many strikeouts in his brief MLB time (22.3%) as one may expect given that velocity, but he did induce ground balls on upwards of 60% of balls in play against him. He’s also thrown a high volume of strikes the past few seasons, culminating in a 6.4% walk rate at the highest level. He comes with six seasons of team control and figures to profile as a long-term bullpen asset for manager Terry Francona.

[jacksonianmarch]

Minimal return for two years of an ace.

[moonslav59]

Minimal return for two years of an ace.

 

Injured.

[notin]

Minimal return for two years of an ace.

 

Yes if Kluber is healthy and returns to form. No if he simply pitches sporadically and is nowhere near the pitcher he once was for games when he is active.

 

That Cleveland accepted so little for him - and they know his health situation better than any team - suggests the latter is certainly a distinct possibility...

[a700hitter]

Yes if Kluber is healthy and returns to form. No if he simply pitches sporadically and is nowhere near the pitcher he once was for games when he is active.

 

That Cleveland accepted so little for him - and they know his health situation better than any team - suggests the latter is certainly a distinct possibility...

He was turning a corner after a bad start to the season when the line drive broke his arm. I am betting that he returns to form.

[Jack Flap]

I don't know what his medicals look like, but man, even if he only returns to being a mid-rotation starter, that's a steal for Texas.

[notin]

I don't know what his medicals look like, but man, even if he only returns to being a mid-rotation starter, that's a steal for Texas.

 

He's basically being paid like Jake Odirizzi right now. The question is, can he pitch as well as Odirizzi (4.3 fWAR, 131 ERA+)?

 

It's not just about the players Texas gave up. It's also about the salary involved...

[notin]

He was turning a corner after a bad start to the season when the line drive broke his arm. I am betting that he returns to form.

 

But the Guardians clearly feel differently. Sometimes you have to wonder why that is...

[mvp 78]

But the Guardians clearly feel differently. Sometimes you have to wonder why that is...

 

They prefer Trevor Bauer's makeup.

[notin]

They prefer Trevor Bauer's makeup.

 

They traded him away for a pretty good haul. Tough to trade your ace midseason and still make the playoffs, but the Guardians nearly pulled it off...

[Jack Flap]

He's basically being paid like Jake Odirizzi right now. The question is, can he pitch as well as Odirizzi (4.3 fWAR, 131 ERA+)?

 

It's not just about the players Texas gave up. It's also about the salary involved...

 

Well, I'm not even confident that Jake Odorizzi will continue to pitch like this year's Jake Odorizzi, which is probably why he accepted the qualifying offer.

 

Another point of reference is that Kluber will be paid $4.5 million less next year than Rick Porcello's AAV on his just-concluded Red Sox contract.

[moonslav59]

Makes you wonder, if we hadn't been in such a budget mess, right now, we could have gotten Bumgarner & Kluber for close to what Price is making.

[notin]

Makes you wonder, if we hadn't been in such a budget mess, right now, we could have gotten Bumgarner & Kluber for close to what Price is making.

 

 

Bumgarner would have never signed with Boston. The guy is a pure country hick. We’re talking about a guy who once gave his wife a cow for an anniversary present.

 

Where is he going to keep a cow in Boston??

[moonslav59]

Bumgarner would have never signed with Boston. The guy is a pure country hick. We’re talking about a guy who once gave his wife a cow for an anniversary present.

 

Where is he going to keep a cow in Boston??

 

He could have lived in Western Mass or NH/Maine/Vermont.

[a700hitter]

But the Guardians clearly feel differently. Sometimes you have to wonder why that is...

It could just be a financial move.

[moonslav59]

It could just be a financial move.

 

Yes, they were obviously looking to cut salary, but you have to wonder about Kluber's health when you see a low return like that.

[a700hitter]

Yes, they were obviously looking to cut salary, but you have to wonder about Kluber's health when you see a low return like that.

He had some complications as he rehabbed from the broken arm, but I don't remember them being shoulder or elbow related.

[notin]

He could have lived in Western Mass or NH/Maine/Vermont.

 

 

I think you’re looking to deep into the location and not enough at the fact that he bought his wife a cow for their anniversary!!!.

 

Also worth noting, after that gift, she didn’t leave him.

 

That should say gallons about them as a couple and is everything you need to know about whether or not he’d have signed in Boston for that same money...

[moonslav59]

I think you’re looking to deep into the location and not enough at the fact that he bought his wife a cow for their anniversary!!!.

 

Also worth noting, after that gift, she didn’t leave him.

 

That should say gallons about them as a couple and is everything you need to know about whether or not he’d have signed in Boston for that same money...

 

I think the gift tells more about his wife, so I tried to refrain from commenting.

[jacksonianmarch]

Yes, they were obviously looking to cut salary, but you have to wonder about Kluber's health when you see a low return like that.

 

Exactly. He broke his throwing arm then had an oblique strain trying to come back from the stretch run. He is also 34 and was posting his lowest velo of his career after those first five games. To be fair, though, he didn't have the dog days of summer where a lot of pitchers gain velo as the arm breaks in and the weather is nice

[moonslav59]

Exactly. He broke his throwing arm then had an oblique strain trying to come back from the stretch run. He is also 34 and was posting his lowest velo of his career after those first five games. To be fair, though, he didn't have the dog days of summer where a lot of pitchers gain velo as the arm breaks in and the weather is nice

 

The guy was so damn good, though. (Key word: was.)

 

He'd fit right in between Price, Eovaldi and Sale.

[notin]

I think the gift tells more about his wife, so I tried to refrain from commenting.

 

I think it takes a special type of man to look at a cow and think "I wonder if my wife wants one." This is not a gamble I would take, even if I could afford it. But these are North Carolina country farmfolk flush with cash that we're talking about..

 

Also, apparently one reason he signed with the Diamondbacks was that he already keeps his horses in the Phoenix area and apparently loves it there. Which is why the money was less than anticipated and why it would have taken more (possibly a lot more) to get him to go to Boston...

[moonslav59]

I think it takes a special type of man to look at a cow and think "I wonder if my wife wants one." This is not a gamble I would take, even if I could afford it. But these are North Carolina country farmfolk flush with cash that we're talking about..

 

Also, apparently one reason he signed with the Diamondbacks was that he already keeps his horses in the Phoenix area and apparently loves it there. Which is why the money was less than anticipated and why it would have taken more (possibly a lot more) to get him to go to Boston...

 

Why would a horse like to live in Phoenix? Is the stall air conditioned?

[notin]

Why would a horse like to live in Phoenix? Is the stall air conditioned?

 

Probably. There is an old saying in Tarheel Folklore, dating back a couple centuries - “Anyone who would buy his wife a cow for her anniversary present should also provide AC to his horses’ stables.”

 

 

The meaning is probably somewhat vague and possibly outdated, but it might apply here...

[moonslav59]

Probably. There is an old saying in Tarheel Folklore, dating back a couple centuries - “Anyone who would buy his wife a cow for her anniversary present should also provide AC to his horses’ stables.”

 

 

The meaning is probably somewhat vague and possibly outdated, but it might apply here...

 

Those caves were naturally AC'd.