When it rains it pours…. After Brian Cashman finally got the highly anticipated deal done with DJ LeMahieu, he quickly got to work and signed Corey Kluber to a 1 year deal worth $11M. Corey Kluber is the ultimate low risk-high reward signing. You can never go wrong with one year deals, especially when that one year deal is for a former 2x Cy Young award winner. Kluber has not been healthy the past two seasons which led to him hitting free agency and having to settle for a one year deal. Kluber, 34, when healthy, has been one of the best pitchers in the league and is a great pick up for the Yankees.
Kluber has dealt with injuries over the past two seasons which held him to only 36 IP since the start of the 2019 season, he only pitched 1 inning in 2020. Kluber recently held a workout and threw a bullpen in front of almost 60 scouts. According to those scouts Kluber was 88-91 which is normal for this time of year and he looked like the Corey Kluber we saw dominate hitters when he was with Cleveland not too long ago. That bullpen session caused his free agency market to heat up and the Yankees signed him about two days after. It was reported that Kluber was only looking for 1 year deals because he wanted to have that chip on his shoulder to prove himself. The Klubot will be a great fit for New York and it looks like he will really strengthen the Yankees rotation behind Cole. Kluber also has postseason experience, specifically a World Series appearance with the Indians back in 2016. In my opinion, Kluber is better fit for a number three starter. He is currently the number 2, but the Yankees should still look to add to their rotation. Due to Kluber's recent injuries it wouldn’t be smart of the Yankees to rely on his arm to go very deep into games and carry a big workload. The rest of the Yankees rotation is very young and lacks experience in the majors. Luis Severino is also expected to return midseason but coming off of TJ surgery he is in the same situation as Kluber where it will be hard to rely heavily on him. It’s very possible Kluber goes back to pitching like an ace again this year coming off of injury and that's what Yankee fans are hoping for but you can't rely on him being that guy still and staying healthy for the whole season and postseason.
If he can stay healthy Kluber will play a big role in the Yankees making a run at a World Series. Starting pitching has been the Yankees kryptonite in the postseason the last couple years. Last postseason, after Gerrit Cole, the Yankees had no one in their rotation that could shutdown the bats of other playoff teams. Paxton has been injured the entire year, Tanaka simply just did not have the same stuff that he used to and the Yankees were hopeless. Anytime you see JA Happ early in a playoff game you know that you’re going to need at least 10 runs to win the game. That recipe does not work in the playoffs. Tanaka, Paxton, and Happ are all free agents and I’m praying that the Red Sox sign Happ. My point is that the Yankees starting rotation outside of Cole lacks experience and a pitcher like Kluber, if he is healthy, is a much needed addition for the Yankees and hopefully they can add one more. The Yankees have been rumored to have been involved in trade talks surrounding Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo.
The Corey Kluber signing for the Yankees is a great addition to their rotation and it should be interesting to see how he bounces back from injury and if he can return to his Cy Young form or something similar. Will the Yankees make another move for a top starting pitcher? Bauer? Castillo? The hot stove seems to be heating up and it should be fun to see who signs next and what moves get made around the league.
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