Rangers acquire two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber in trade with Indians

Dec. 15 (UPI) -- The Texas Rangers acquired two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber in a trade with the Cleveland Indians, the teams announced Sunday.

League sources told ESPN and The Athletic that the Indians received outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. and relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase in the deal. Cleveland previously picked up Kluber's $17.5 million contract option for next season but ultimately opted to trade the three-time All-Star selection.

Kluber slots in as the ace of a Rangers rotation that currently consists of veterans Mike Minor and Lance Lynn. Texas also signed former Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson to a three-year contract this off-season.

Kluber didn't take the mound for the Indians after May 1 due to a broken right arm. He was close to a return in the minor leagues before an oblique injury ended his 2019 campaign.

In seven starts last season, Kluber posted a 2-3 record and 5.80 ERA. The 33-year-old pitcher is expected to be ready for the beginning of spring training.

Kluber, who won his Cy Young Awards in 2014 and 2017, is 98-58 with a 3.16 ERA in nine MLB seasons. In the postseason, he is 4-3 with a 3.97 ERA across nine starts.

DeShields, 27, had a .249 batting average with four home runs, 32 RBIs and 24 stolen bases across 118 games last season. Clase, 21, posted a 2-3 record and 2.31 ERA in 21 appearances in the big leagues last season.