Corey Kluber could be high-reward addition for Cubs

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Hot Stove season is here, and NBC Sports Chicago is taking a look at free agents who could fit the Cubs’ needs — and budget. Next up is Rangers starting pitcher Corey Kluber.

If you can’t beat them three straight times, join them.

OK, that’s not a fair or accurate way to describe longtime Indians ace and free agent starting pitcher Corey Kluber, who shut down the Cubs in two of his three starts in the 2016 World Series. However, more than four years later, Kluber to the Cubs may not be as ridiculous as it sounds.

The Cubs’ rotation next season is projected to include Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks, Alec Mills and Adbert Alzolay. The latter two are expected to take the places of José Quintana and Tyler Chatwood, who are free agents and unlikely to return in 2021.

That leaves at least one vacancy, which could be filled by Jon Lester — who’s also a free agent and has mutual interest with the Cubs on a reunion next season. Lester’s case will be interesting to watch, but whether he returns or not, the Cubs will look to add rotation depth.

And, considering the Cubs are in cost-cutting mode after pandemic-related revenue losses, they’ll be in the market for free agents on reasonable deals. This is where Kluber may fit in.

Kluber, 35 next April, won two AL Cy Young Awards (2014, ’17) during his nine-season stint with Cleveland. He was a stud as recently as 2018, when he made 33 starts, went 20-7 with a 2.89 ERA and 0.991 WHIP, and struck out 222 batters in 215 innings — with just 34 walks.

Since then, the right-hander has had some bad fortune, making eight starts the past two seasons combined. He fractured his right forearm on a comebacker in his seventh start of 2019. During a rehab stint that August, he strained his left oblique, ending his season.

Cleveland traded Kluber to Texas last winter, though he only pitched one inning in 2020, tearing a muscle in his right shoulder in his first start. It didn’t require surgery but put him on the shelf for the remainder of the abbreviated 60-game campaign.

Arm injuries are always a sensitive subject, but the good news for Kluber is one was a freak incident and neither led to surgery. And, according to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, he’s been cleared for normal offseason training this winter.

The Rangers declined Kluber’s 2021 option worth $18 million last month. Considering his track record — he finished top 3 in AL Cy Young Award voting from 2016-18 — he’ll have numerous suitors, with his market likely at least somewhat dependent on his medicals.

Other clubs will be thinking similarly, but if the Cubs show interest and trust he’s healthy, a one-year deal with incentives built in has the chance to be a high-reward acquisition. 

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