Indians Acquire Outfielder and Relief Pitcher From Texas for Corey Kluber

The Indians trade of two-time Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber on Sunday netted them a couple positions of need from the Texas Rangers that hopefully will pan out in the deal for the starting pitcher.

The Indians trade of two-time Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber on Sunday netted them a couple positions of need from the Texas Rangers that hopefully will pan out in the deal for the starting pitcher.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports the team acquired Major League veteran outfielder Delino DeShields, as well as young relief arm Emmanuel Clase for the 33-year-old Kluber, who was set to make $17.5 million this season for the Tribe.

DeShields, whose dad also was a Major League outfielder, was the eighth overall pick of the Rangers in the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft, and has been a starter with the Rangers over the most of the last five seasons.

Last year with Texas DeShields hit .249 in 118 games, hitting four homers, 32 RBI and 24 stolen bases. His best season in the Majors came in 2017 when he hit .269 with six homers and 22 RBI with 29 steals in 120 games.

DeShields has mostly played center field in his time at the Major League level, but also has played some in left field as well as at second base. It will be interesting to see where he will play with the Indians as Oscar Mercado appears to already be penciled in as the team's everyday center fielder.

Clase is a 21-year-old reliever from the Dominican Republic, who last season with the Rangers went 2-3 with a 2.31 ERA in 21 games. He threw 23.1 innings at the Major League level in 2019, allowing six earned runs with six walks and 21 strikeouts.

He started 2019 at A ball for the Rangers, and was promoted to AA ball before being called up to the big league club.

Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports that Clase has thrown over 100 miles per hour, including a 101 mile per hour cutter which has to excite the Indians coming out of the pen.