Why it’s possible Corey Kluber’s time with Texas Rangers ends after only one inning
Corey Kluber isn’t going to pitch again this season as his strained shoulder muscle isn’t healthy enough for him to rush back in what looks like a lost Texas Rangers season.
He was injured in the first inning of the season’s third game, when things weren’t so bleak. The right-hander had been the Rangers’ most consistent starting pitcher during the three-week summer-camp ramp-up.
The resume is outstanding, topped by two Cy Young awards but scarred by injuries the past two seasons.
As such, it’s entirely possible that Kluber’s time with the Rangers lasts only that one scoreless inning he tossed July 26.
The Rangers hold a 2021 club option on Kluber for 2021 worth $18 million, which might seem like more than usual in light of the damage done to teams’ financials during the coronavirus pandemic. The buyout is only $1 million, which looks pretty budget-friendly for a team that already knows it will be operating with a smaller payroll.
General manager Jon Daniels said on July 27, the day an MRI exam revealed a Grade 2 strain of Kluber’s right teres major muscle, the Rangers’ intention upon acquiring Kluber was to have him for two seasons.
They traded center fielder Delino DeShields and right-handed reliever Emmanuel Clase to the Cleveland Indians on Dec. 15 for Kluber, who made only two starts in 2019 because of a broken arm and a strained oblique muscle.
Kluber was supposed to be a third All-Star-caliber pitcher in the rotation, along with Lance Lynn and Mike Minor. That plan never developed, with Kluber injured and Minor struggling through a dead-arm period and a lack of velocity.
The Rangers traded Minor on Monday to the Oakland A’s for two prospects, and attempted to trade Lynn. Daniels then announced the news on the payroll and also said the Rangers are likely more of a rebuilding team than they are a contending one.
Lynn could be dealt during the offseason, Daniels said. The Rangers must decide on Kluber’s option within five days after the end of the World Series.
Kluber would not get $18 million as a free agent.
There is a case for keeping Kluber, beyond the fact that he’s been one of baseball’s best pitchers the past decade.
If Kluber is healthy and proves to again be a capable pitcher, they could have an attractive trade piece at the July 31 deadline if they are again in a position to sell.
If they keep him, they could potentially gain free-agent compensation if he were to turn down their qualifying offer.
It’s also hard to imagine Daniels instituting a complete tear-down, where the Rangers shrink their payroll to the pre-World Series Houston Astros or the 2020 Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ownership is still going to want to put butts in the seats at Globe Life Field, assuming fans are allowed by next spring.
Kluber isn’t the only player who won’t play against this season, Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. Closer Jose Leclerc, who suffered the same injury as Kluber a few days later, and outfielder Danny Santana, who has an elbow injury, are also done.
