Kluber and Kershaw?

Phil Gurnee ♦ November 30, 2018 ♦ 1 Comment

Many folks who work the trade routes have said the Dodgers and Indians are talking trade with perennial CYA candidate Corey Kluber the Dodger target. Given the depth of the Dodger rotation that seems like a strange pairing for me. The rotation seems a bit loaded with Buehler, Kershaw, Ryu, Hill, Wood, Urias, Stripling, and Kenta. Not to mention the kids knocking on the door in Santana and Caleb Ferguson.

However you do it, the price should be steep given his contract and production. He is also 32, so you are getting his age 33,34, and 35 seasons. The comments are funny as many reference his failure to win in the postseason. Sound familiar? Kershaw and Kluber have both been clobbered by Houston in October. On the other hand, Kluber has two CYA, and two 3rd place finishes in the past five years. If he is being made available, you have to make a pitch, don’t you?

I mean a rotation of Buehler, Kluber, Kershaw, and any of Ryu/Hill/Urias next Oct sounds very enticing.

For a team who won the AL Central, the Indians have a few holes. One is at catcher where they just traded one of their two starting catchers to the Nationals. Earlier this summer they traded their top prospect who was a catcher like Carlos Santana was a catcher to the Padres. With Donaldson moving on to Atlanta, MVP candidate Ramirez will move back to 3rd base leaving second base to Jason Kipnis. They could use help there. They really need help in the outfield. Their best outfielder is a free agent. That leaves Lonnie Chisenhall, Greg Allen, Bradley Zimmer, and a bunch of nothing. Yonder Alonso came back to earth so they could use also use help at 1st base.

Depending on who you listen to the Dodgers are either offering major league players like Puig and Wood, or a plethora of their best prospects which would include Verdugo and May.  MLB Network had a discussion about it and the ex-GM said he thinks any trade can’t include Puig and Wood because the Indians don’t want the expense and said he’d go for the Verdugo package. Cody Bellinger was floated, but man you can’t trade Cody Bellinger. He might be the best CF in the National League next year.

I think a combo package is what would work. Kenta Maeda is a solid starter making peanuts given what he produces even when he hits all of his bonuses. That gives the Indians a major league starting pitcher who fits budget wise. Fill that in with Alex Verdugo who is ready to shine for a major league franchise and the Indians have to get an outfielder back from the Dodgers. First base, roll the dice with Edwin Rios. Catcher, pop in Will Smith.

or

Chris Taylor can be their outfielder or 2nd baseman. He has tremendous value so if you are getting Chris Taylor, I’d just fill in the parts with Rios/DJ Peters/Y Alvarez.

Anyway, more than likely nothing transpires but it felt good to finally have something to write about.