Dodgers Rumors: LA Interested in Cleveland’s Starting Pitchers

As the Dodgers look to find ways to improve after two straight World Series losses, the latest rumors have the Dodgers talking to the Cleveland Indians about their starting pitchers.

Coming off two straight World Series losses, the Dodgers realize that changes need to be made if they are finally going to get over the World Series hump.  The latest hot stove rumors have the Dodgers and Indians discussing different trade scenarios involving the Indians’ starting pitchers and perhaps catcher Yan Gomes.

The Indians starting rotation boasts four starters who are well above average in Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, and Mike Clevinger.  Kluber won 20 games in 2018 while Carlos Carrasco had an outstanding year himself posting a 3.38 ERA with 231 strikeouts in only 192 innings.  Bauer and Clevinger are also each coming off their best seasons of their careers.

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Each of Clevand’s starting pitchers is also under contract or team control through arbitration for at least one more season after 2019.  While Kluber is the ace of their staff, he too has had his share of postseason struggles.  Clevinger, Carrasco, and Bauer would all represent significant upgrades over Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda in the Dodgers’ rotation.  It remains to be seen how serious talks are but this is something to get the hot stove cooking,

Ken Rosenthal also mentioned that the Dodgers could have interest in Yan Gomes.  While Gomes is under contract through the 2021 season, his options after 2019 include a one million dollar buyout so the Dodgers could presumably let him go after 2019 if they were to acquire him.  While Gomes is not an elite catcher he is a solid backstop who hit 16 home runs this past season.

Yan Gomes  would be an upgrade over the guys left on the free agent market outside of Yasmani Grandal and Wilson Ramos.  He would also satisfy the option of being a stopgap for a season while the Dodgers get Will Smith and Keibert Ruiz ready for the show.  In the event Austin Barnes’ bat doesn’t come back to life, Gomes is a solid alternative.

The Indians are looking to rebuild after a solid but unsuccessful run of winning the World Series and they are looking for a reset button.  They will be interested in the Dodgers’ young outfielders like Joc Pederson and Alex Verdugo who would be quality starters on their club.  The Indians could also look to acquire their catcher of the future in Will Smith depending on how big a deal with the Dodgers would get.