Corey Kluber damaged goods before signing with the Red Sox?
One of the biggest failures of the Chaim Bloom-era was the free agent signing of pitcher Corey Kluber.
The Red Sox signed the two-time Cy Young award winner last December to a one-year, $10 million deal. He was named the team’s Opening Day starter after a strong spring training.
Kluber’s regular season was anything but memorable. He finished the season with a 7.04 ERA over 55 innings before dealing with a shoulder injury in mid-June that ended his season.
The Kluber signing was dealt with fan backlash from the beginning and according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, some within the Red Sox organization questioned the health of the veteran’s shoulder before signing him.
The 37-year-old was not able to navigate the regular season without injuries and the signing was a massive failure.
Kluber has a $11 million club option for 2024 that is a slam dunk guarantee to be declined by the Red Sox.
Despite the terrible results on the field and the inflammation in his right shoulder, all was not lost with the right-hander. Kluber’s presence as a veteran leader in the Red Sox clubhouse was recognized by his teammates including Garrett Whitlock.
The 27-year-old credited Kluber as a key mentor and teammate this past season. Whitlock praised Kluber for helping him adjust to becoming a starter before he ultimately returned to a bullpen role.
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