Red Sox’s Alex Cora Explains Decision To Lift Corey Kluber After Five Innings

Corey Kluber was in a good rhythm for the Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon.

The Boston pitcher cruised through five innings, throwing just 67 pitches and allowing one run on three hits. It was a fair assumption to think Kluber would be back on the mound for the sixth, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora had other plans.

John Schreiber, who’s been strong early on for Boston, entered the game, but it came back to haunt the Red Sox after Bryan Reynolds led the frame off with a double and later scored in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 4-1 win at Fenway Park.

Kluber threw 80 pitches in his Opening Day start against the Baltimore Orioles in Boston, so it was a little surprising to see him get lifted with not even 70 pitches thrown.

“We’re good right there,” Cora told reporters after the game, per MassLive. “We feel like that was good enough with where we were with the bullpen.

“Five innings, he did his job. Reynolds was coming up and we had one of our best relievers coming up in that spot.”

The Red Sox turn their focus to their first road trip of the season when they take visit Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon. First pitch from Comerica Park is set for 1:10 p.m. ET, and you can catch all the action on NESN beginning at 12 p.m.