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San Diego Padres trade targets from the AL Central

By Jake Mastroianni

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 07: Whit Merrifield #15 of the Kansas City Royals hits a grand slam in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on May 07, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 07: Whit Merrifield #15 of the Kansas City Royals hits a grand slam in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on May 07, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – MAY 01: Corey  Kluber #28 of the Cleveland Indians delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on May 1, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – MAY 01: Corey  Kluber #28 of the Cleveland Indians delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on May 1, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Indians

A lot of you who clicked on this article likely did so for this very reason, to see my thoughts on trading for Corey Kluber.

The two-time Cy Young winner is assumed to be on the trading block this offseason and several teams will be calling the Indians to check in … and the Padres should be one of those teams.

Kluber, a 33-year-old righty, only made 7 starts in 2019 because of injury and posted a miserable 5.80 ERA in those starts.

But just going back to 2018 he was an All-Star with a 2.89 ERA and 20 wins in 33 starts with 222 strikeouts in 215 innings.

Maybe he is starting to decline, but it’s hard to believe he can’t still be a top of the rotation pitcher.

The Indians picked up his $17.5 million option for 2020, and Kluber has an $18 million team option for 2021 with a $1 million buyout.

That’s not a terrible deal for a former Cy Young winner.

Plus, it would be neat for him to end his career where it all started. The Padres drafted him in the fourth round of the 2007 MLB Draft before trading him to the Indians for … Ryan Ludwick.

Let’s try not to think about that much more.

Kluber is really the only trade target on the Indians, but he’s a big one, and one the Padres should certainly pursue.

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