The Cleveland Indians locked up one of their most reliable starting pitchers on Thursday when they signed Carlos Carrasco to a multi-year extension, and that could make it even more likely that they trade Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that the Indians are “increasingly motivated” to trade either Kluber or Bauer now that they have signed Carrasco to a new deal. With Patrick Corbin having signed with the Washington Nationals, the trade market for starting pitching is said to be heating up.
On the heels of Carlos Carrasco’s three-year, $37.5M extension, Cleveland is increasingly motivated to move Trevor Bauer or Corey Kluber, sources tell Yahoo Sports. Plenty of options on the trade market, which is extremely active as Patrick Corbin has signed with the Nationals.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 6, 2018
Carrasco is more affordable than Kluber, though the former Cy Young Award winner is still under contract with what many would consider a team-friendly deal. Kluber, who finished third in the AL Cy Young voting this year, is owed $17 million in 2019 and has club options of $15.5 million and $16 million in 2020 and 2021. He went 20-7 with a 2.89 ERA in 2018.
Bauer is also coming off an outstanding season in which he went 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA in 28 starts.
We have already heard of multiple teams that have engaged the Indians in trade discussions involving Kluber and Bauer, but the return would have to be significant. Cleveland is trying to trim payroll heading into 2019, but neither pitcher is making an insane amount of money.
