Red Sox name Corey Kluber Opening Day starter
The Red Sox have officially announced that two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber will take the mound on Opening Day. Boston will play host to the Orioles on March 30 from Fenway Park.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed the news to reporters down in Fort Myers, including Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe.
Cora reportedly told Kluber back in January that he would start on Opening Day. This will be Kluber’s sixth career Opening Day start and first with the Red Sox.
Chris Sale seemed to be the logical choice to take the ball for the opener, but Cora had other plans for the left-hander.
“I want him to enjoy Thursday (March 30, Opening Day) as a regular baseball player,” Cora said. “Just the whole Opening Day thing. Whenever he pitches in the rotation, he’ll pitch in the rotation. But I decided that like a month and a half ago.”
Kluber, 36, will be the oldest pitcher to start on Opening Day since 40-year-old Curt Schilling started for the team in 2007.
“He gave me as much time as possible to prepare for it,” Kluber said. “It’s not just the stuff on the field, there’s other things that come with it. From his experience in playing, he gets that sort of thing.”
Kluber is 0-4 with a 4.01 ERA in his previous Opening Day starts.
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