Corey Kluber looks to be a step closer to rejoining the Cleveland Indians.
On Tuesday, the two-time Cy Young Award winner continued his rehab from a fractured right forearm, pitching four innings for the Class-AA Akron Rubber Ducks against the Trenton Thunder at Canal Park.
Kluber threw 60 pitches, allowing a run on two hits with one walk and six strikeouts. He retired the first ten batters of the game before surrendering a solo homer in the fourth.
In his start for Triple-A Columbus last week, Kluber threw 41 pitches over the course of three innings, surrendering 2 hits, both of which were solo home runs, which accounted for the only two runs against him on the day. The 33-year-old Kluber also recorded two strikeouts.
"There's a progression you have to go through when you've been down for a while and this is another step in that progression," Kluber said after last week's outing. "But it's also kind of the last step, so to speak. Playing in these games, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel."
Kluber sustained the fractured forearm on May 1, when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Miami's Brian Anderson. In 7 starts with Cleveland this season, the right-hander amassed a 2-3 record, in addition to a 5.80 ERA and 38 strikeouts.