The Los Angeles Dodgers’ major trade with the Cincinnati Reds on Friday may just be the prelude to something even bigger.
The Dodgers traded four players (Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, Kyle Farmer) and $7 million to the Reds for Homer Bailey, Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs. The move created financial flexibility for the Dodgers, unblocked the jam of outfielders, and added two more prospects to their system. They may use those tools to revisit trade talks with the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Corey Kluber, according to a report.
Next order of business for the #Dodgers is Corey Kluber.
Per Source: #Dodgers and #Indians are once again discussing a trade centered around Corey Kluber. One rival executive told me: “I’d be blown away if Dodgers don’t get Kluber.”— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) December 21, 2018
The Cleveland Indians were looking to trim some payroll and were exploring trades involving Kluber and Trevor Bauer. However, they’ve already cut payroll to the point they may be able to keep both pitchers, so they’d have to get a nice return from the Dodgers to make a trade.
Outfield prospect Alex Verdugo, who is now slated to start in right field for the Dodgers, has been mentioned as a potential target for the Indians in trade talks.
