Call to the pen
Fansided

MLB hot stove: top trade target for each team

By Benjamin Chase

SEATTLE, WA - JULY 30: James Paxton #65 of the Seattle Mariners waits to deliver the pitch in the second inning against the Houston Astros at Safeco Field on July 30, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 2-0. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - JULY 30: James Paxton #65 of the Seattle Mariners waits to deliver the pitch in the second inning against the Houston Astros at Safeco Field on July 30, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 2-0. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 05: Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) prepares to deliver a pitch during the ALDS Game 1 between the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros on October 5, 2018 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Cleveland Indians

With the Cleveland Indians announcing that they’re looking to trim payroll and would even consider moving ace Corey Kluber to do it, the decision who to feature here was quite simple.

Kluber is behind only Max Scherzer in bWAR over the last five seasons. He has won 2 Cy Young awards in that time, been an All-Star 3 times, and won the ERA title in 2017, when he came up short of winning the major league pitching Triple Crown, leading the majors in wins and ERA, but finishing 3rd in strikeouts.

Kluber is a true ace in the game, a pitcher that any team would want and should make a significant pitch for, but there is one hitch – the Indians don’t want a “rebuild” package in return. They want to compete in 2019, and given the division they play in is the worst in the game presently, they absolutely should continue pushing while the iron is hot and their two superstar infielders are in their primes.

That would mean any team coming to the table would need to be able to offer a young, controllable starting pitcher that could impact the Cleveland rotation as soon as next year. Few teams can offer that in a deal, but with the need that the team also has in the bullpen and the outfield, they could match up well with teams like the Brewers, Braves, Cardinals, Astros, Dodgers, Nationals, Phillies, Rockies, Twins, and Yankees in a deal, so there will be plenty of options for them to move one of the elite arms in the game.

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