As the 2019 Hot Stove season enters its final month, the guy who has been among the highest on the Dodgers radar this off-season – 32-year-old Cleveland Indians right-hander Corey Kluber – appears to be slipping away from them.

On Sunday MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reported that the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, and Philadelphia Phillies were still actively pursuing the 6′-4″ / 215-pound Birmingham, Alabama native and three-time All-Star, two-time AL Cy-Young award-winner, and 2017 MLB ERA leader, whereas the Dodgers have been extremely quiet about such.

Of course, this isn’t unusual for Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who has a knack for pulling rabbits out of hats – usually at the very last minute – over such things.

This according to Morosi:

“The Indians and Padres have been in contact regarding a possible Kluber trade since the New Year began, although no deal was close as of Friday night, sources said. A separate source said the Dodgers have remained involved in recent trade discussions with the Indians regarding Kluber.”

As it stands right now, Kluber will be entering the fifth and final year of his current five-year / $38.5 million contract which includes club options for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. That being said, Indians general manager Mike Chernoff has made it abundantly clear that they are willing to trade their ace for the right prospects; and we’re talking top prospects here – something that, to this point, the Dodgers have been unwilling to do.

As a result and understandably so, Chernoff has turned his attention elsewhere with regards to trading Kluber. However, by the same token, the Padres, who are still considered to be the front-runners in the Kluber sweepstakes, have also balked at the idea of trading away their top prospects for him; more specifically outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot.

All of this said and knowing how Andrew Friedman operates, chances are pretty good that we haven’t heard the last of possibly seeing Corey Kluber in a Dodgers uniform come Opening Day.

Stay tuned…

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