Certainly, a pitching rotation anchored by Chris Sale and Corey Kluber in 2017 would be one of the best of all time.
Hopes for the 2023 Red Sox may not be that lofty, but with that duo now paired up in Boston, one of those veterans is excited all the same.
Kluber is preparing for his first season as a member of the Red Sox, signing with Boston in the offseason. He'll join a rotation that, assuming anything resembling full health, will be anchored by Sale.
If both can stay healthy and can perform anywhere near their respective ceilings -- admittedly big ifs -- it will go a long way in getting the Sox back to contention. As an excited Sale gets back in the saddle again, he's glad to have an old rival as a new riding partner -- even if it's a little later than hoped.
"I've been recruiting him for a couple of years," Sale told reporters Wednesday at spring training. "I actually said something to him, I sent him text messages (for) a couple offseasons saying 'Hey, man. Let's go. Come on, come on.'"
Sale expects big things from Kluber, who has ties to the area and is widely viewed as a consummate professional.
"It's nice. I know his wife's family is from the area, so a little bit less moving around for him. Talk about a model of consistency. A guy that you pick his brain, (he has) baseball IQ through the roof. His resume speaks for itself. Just his demeanor, how he carries himself, his character, all of those things are going to do very well for him not only on this team but in Boston."
Like Sale, Kluber spent part of his career on a short list of the very best pitchers in baseball. The veteran right-hander has two Cy Young Awards to his name. That includes a win in 2017 when he went 18-4, leading the big leagues in both ERA (2.25) and WHIP (0.889). The runner-up that season with 308 strikeouts in just 214 innings? That would be Sale.
(Sale, by the way, also finished third in voting as a 25-year-old when Kluber won in 2014.)
Again, expecting that sort of production from a soon-to-be 37-year-old (Kluber) and someone who hasn't logged more than 43 innings since 2019 (Sale), would be foolish. But if they can defy the doubts, the Red Sox become contenders. Even more so if James Paxton is healthy and effective.
"I was with Paxton a lot last year, obviously rehabbing come back. He works hard," Sale said. "When he's at his best, watch out. Kluber's got a trophy case for anybody. I'm not going to sit here and talk about myself, but I know what I can do. Not only that, we've got a bunch of guys on that pitching staff, top to bottom -- bullpen, starting staff -- we're here to make some noise. Say what you want, but we like where we're at."
Cautious optimism is warranted, and people will need to see it to believe it. But if things break the right way, it won't take long to build that excitement outside the Red Sox clubhouse, too.
