The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has acquired RHP EMMANUEL CLASE (CLAH-say)and OF DELINO DeSHIELDS from the Texas Rangers in exchange for RHP COREY KLUBER.
Clase, 21, made his Major League debut on August 4 after skipping the AAA level, going 2-3 with a 2.31 ERA in 21 games (1GS, 23.1IP, 20H, 6BB, 21SO) for the Rangers to finish out the season. His 2.31 ERA was third-lowest among AL rookies (min. 20IP). The hard-throwing, right-handed reliever (6’2”, 205 lbs.) earned his first career save on August 30 vs. SEA (1.0IP, 1H, 1SO), the second-youngest MLB reliever to earn a save in 2019. He started the 2019 season at High-A Down East (6G, 0ER/7.0IP) before being promoted to AA Frisco on April 23, posting a combined Minor League ERA of 2.82 (14ER/44.2IP) prior to the August 4 promotion. He was originally signed in February 2015 by San Diego out of the Dominican Republic and later acquired by Texas in May 2018 for C Brett Nicholas.
DeShields, 27, spent the majority of the 2019 season with the Rangers, batting .249 (89-for-357) with 15 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 24 SB in 118 games (112 games in CF). The right-handed hitting outfielder (5’9”, 200 lbs.) owns a career Major League average of .246 (411-for-1674) and .326 on-base pct. with 73 2B, 17 3B, 18 HR and 126 RBI in 539 games since debuting with the Rangers in 2015. He also has 106 career stolen bases (135 attempts). The Seaford, DE native was originally a first-round pick of the Houston Astros in 2010 (8th overall) and was later selected by Texas in December 2014 Rule 5 Draft (Major League phase). He is the son of former Major League 2B Delino DeShields, who enjoyed a 13-year career from 1990-2002.
Kluber, 33, spent parts of nine Major League seasons with the Tribe after being acquired from the San Diego Padres in a three-team trade in July 2010. With the Tribe, the right-hander was a two-time A.L. Cy Young Award winner (2014 & 2017) and three-time All-Star (2016-18). In 208 games/203 starts, he amassed a 98-58 record with a 3.16 ERA (471 ER/1341.2IP), 1,461 strikeouts (third in franchise history), and a .628 career winning percentage (second in franchise history). Corey made just seven starts in an injury-shortened 2019, going 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA (23ER/35.2IP) due to a pair of injuries.