Corey Kluber probably isn't going to capture a third Cy Young award, but that doesn't mean he can't help the Boston Red Sox make strides in 2023.
Once viewed as one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, Kluber is now in the back half of his career. The 36-year-old has spent each of the last three seasons bouncing between the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays where he compiled a 4.15 ERA in 245 total innings.
Those numbers are a far cry from his nine seasons with the Cleveland Guardians, where he won a pair of Cy Young Awards and notched a 3.16 ERA in 203 starts, but his latest stop comes in Boston where he signed on to be included in a starting rotation in limbo.
The Red Sox's starting staff has more to offer than meets the eye, however, according to Kluber.
"I think it's a very talented group," Kluber told The Athletic. "I think those younger guys (Brayan Bello, Garrett Whitlock and Nick Pivetta), having the chance to see them the last couple years, their stuff really jumps out at you. You hear hitters on the other side after facing them talking about how tough of an at-bat they are. And obviously everybody knows when healthy how tough an at-bat Chris (Sale) and James (Paxton) are. I'm excited to get to spring training and get going with the group."
Though it was mentioned Kluber is no longer a Cy-Young candidate, he's continued to be a tough at-bat -- just like his fellow Red Sox pitchers.
"Obviously the velocity isn't what it was six, seven years ago," Kluber said. "But to counteract that, I think I'm a smarter pitcher than I was then without having the ability to rely on stuff as much. I think there's other tools you can use besides just that. I think I've learned better how to game plan, how to make in-game adjustments, mid-at-bat adjustments."
The arrival of Kluber is an exciting one for Red Sox fans who are interested in more defined roles for the staff and less of a carousel of rookies like we saw in 2022.
