Report: Indians motivated to move Bauer, Kluber after Carrasco extension
The Cleveland Indians locked up one of their best starting pitchers Thursday, and their next move might be to trade another.
After extending Carlos Carrasco through 2022, the Indians are "increasingly motivated" to move either Trevor Bauer or Corey Kluber, sources told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.
The two All-Star pitchers have been the subjects of trade rumors for more than a month, with a recent report claiming the Indians are more inclined to move Bauer than Kluber.
In a Nov. 29 interview with MLB Network, Bauer explained why it would make more sense for Cleveland to move him next winter (9:30 mark):
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)
While potential suitors for Bauer haven't been mentioned, the Indians reportedly discussed a swap involving Kluber and Yasiel Puig with the Los Angeles Dodgers in November, but nothing came to fruition.
Both Bauer and Kluber received Cy Young consideration in 2018 following stellar seasons. Bauer finished sixth, while Kluber wound up third.
| PITCHER | IP | W-L | ERA | FIP | WHIP | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Bauer | 175.1 | 12-6 | 2.21 | 2.44 | 1.09 | 221 |
| Corey Kluber | 215 | 20-7 | 2.89 | 3.12 | 0.99 | 222 |
Bauer, 27, isn't eligible for free agency until 2021 and is projected to earn $11.6 million through arbitration.
Kluber, a two-time Cy Young winner, is 32 years old and can become a free agent in 2020. He'll earn $17 million in 2019 and has team options for 2020 and 2021.