Yankees Rumors: The Bombers should go in all for Corey Kluber

The Indians just extended Carlos Carrasco’s contract for three years and $37.5M. This has motivated them to either trade Trevor Bauer or Corey Kluber. Therefore, the Yankees should go all in on Kluber.

By now we all know that the Yankees didn’t outbid the Nationals in signing free agent Patrick Corbin to a six-year, $140M deal. However, we recently found out from Jack Curry of the YES Network, that the Yanks never made a formal official offer of five-years and $100M (as was reported) to Corbin. Interesting, right?

Then on Thursday, the Indians and Carlos Carrasco agreed to a contract extension, which made has made the club more inclined to trade away either 27-year-old Trevor Bauer or two-time Cy Young winner, Corey Kluber. The free agency market has become thin, as Nathan Eovaldi just signed a four-year, and $68.5M deal with the Red Sox.

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, sources have confirmed Bauer and Kluber could be on the move — therefore the Yankees should be all in on Kluber who is absolutely a force to be reckoned with.

Kluber has a career 3.09 ERA, going 96-55 while striking out 1423 opponents and a stellar 1.07 WHIP. He also has a 2.02 ground ball rate which translates exceptionally well to Yankee Stadium.

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Bauer has a career 3.94 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 59-47 record and has struck out 926 batters.  He also has a 1.99 ground ball rate.

The issue here is, neither Bauer or Kluber is a free agent. Kluber could potentially hit free agency market in 2020 but has a club option in 2020 and 2021. Bauer is eligible for arbitration in 2019 and 2020 and could hit the open market in 2021.

The Yankees would need to give up some of their top prospects to acquire Kluber or Bauer. Is it wise to do so for a two or three-year rental, depending on the player? Then again, one World Series title makes just about any trade worthwhile.

The options are becoming limited with quality arm quickly coming off the board. The few remaining good free agent starting pitchers are J.A. Happ (2.69 ERA in 2018) and Dallas Keuchel (career 3.66 ERA) and Yusei Kikuchi (career 2.77 ERA in Japan).

If the Yankees were to acquire Kluber, then they could direct their focus on signing another big bat like former NL MVP Bryce Harper or four-time All-Star Manny Machado.