Rays Reportedly Sign Kluber to One-Year Deal
On Friday, the Rays traded Jordan Luplow to Arizona, opening a 40-man roster spot. On Sunday the reason for that became clearer, as Tampa Bay reportedly agreed to terms with pitcher Corey Kluber on a one-year deal pending a physical (first reported by Ken Rosenthal. Joel Sherman then reported that the deal is for approximately eight million dollars plus incentives. Marc Topkin reported that the deal could reach $13 million if all incentives are reached).
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The 35-year-old Kluber would provide the Rays with an experienced veteran starter. Tampa Bay pursued the righty last year, but he signed a one-year deal with the New York Yankees.
The Rays have a very talented but young group of starters in Shane McClanahan, Luis Patino, Shane Baz, Drew Rasmussen, plus bulk/starters Josh Fleming and Ryan Yarbrough that can provide length. That also doesn’t include Yonny Chirinos and Brendan McKay coming off injury, or Tommy Romero, who was just added to the 40-man roster. However, adding Kluber will provide a veteran presence the team has added in free agency the past several seasons.
While Kluber missed nearly half of 2021 due to injury, he was effective when healthy. Kluber went 5–3 with a 3.83 ERA over 16 starts and 80 innings. Kluber pitched just 36.2 innings combined in 2019 and 2020. Kluber struck out 82 in 80 innings. Kluber used his curveball and changeup more with New York, as he has become a four-pitch pitcher, with a fastball and cutter his other offerings.
Prior to his one season in New York and a 2020 season where he threw just one inning for Texas, Kluber was a workhorse for Cleveland, working 200 or more innings from 2014–2018, including Cy Young Awards in 2014 and 2017.
