Angels Reportedly Interested in Corey Kluber Trade With Indians
By Scott Rogust
The Los Angeles Angels were considered one of the favorites to land ex-Houston Astros ace Gerrit Cole before the 2019 regular season reached its conclusion. Los Angeles' dreams of adding the Orange County native ended late Tuesday night after the pitcher agreed to a record-breaking contract with the New York Yankees.
Losing out on the top pitcher on the market, the Angels appear to have a backup plan.
According to Fabian Ardaya of "The Athletic," the Angels are interested in trading for Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber.
The Angels have expressed interest in trading for Indians right-hander Corey Kluber, sources tell The Athletic. The club has prioritized its pursuit of Anthony Rendon, but they’re exploring all options.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) December 12, 2019
Ardaya stresses that the team's priority remains with ex-Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon, who's expected to land a massive deal in free agency.
Kluber has been subject to trade rumors for the past year, but his value has taken a hit due to a suffering a broken forearm and an oblique strain, limiting him to just seven starts in 2019.
Angels have “expressed interest” in trading for Cleveland pitcher Corey Kluber, per @FabianArdaya pic.twitter.com/K89wwvdqXc
— Bleacher Report MLB (@BR_MLB) December 12, 2019
Despite his setbacks this past season, Kluber is a two-time AL Cy Young winner, which is certainly a captivating for teams like the Angels, who desperately need a starter. In his last full season of work back in 2018, Kluber registered a 2.89 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 32 starts.