CLEVELAND — Starting pitcher Corey Kluber is set to take a big step on the road to a return to the Cleveland Indians.
Prior to today’s American League Central Division game against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field, Kluber will throw a bullpen session, and although it will be limited in terms of how many pitches he fires, the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner will be firing nothing but fastballs during the workout.
“It’s a good step for him,” Indians manager Terry Francona said prior to Tuesday’s win over the Tigers. “I don’t know if it’s a hurdle, challenge, but it’s a big step, it’s a good step. Now, he won’t be going like every other day just because of what he’s been through. The first week, 10 days, there will be a little time in-between these bullpens, just for obvious reasons.
“I mean, this kid, if you saw his workouts, he amazes me. I mean how he can push himself when people aren’t around, it amazes me. The drive he has is incredible, but he’s a smart kid. He knows that we’re kind of already going pretty quickly, so he’ll be smart about it.”
Kluber has been out of the lineup since May 1 when he suffered a broken ulna in his pitching arm after being struck by a line drive in a start against the Miami Marlins.
Kluber suffered the injury in the fifth inning of his seventh start of the season, but prior to the injury, he struggled with consistency through the first six weeks.
Kluber had a 2-3 record with a 5.80 earned run average and allowed 44 hits, 26 runs, four home runs and 15 walks against 38 strikeouts in 35.2 innings of work before suffering the injury that has kept him away from the game for two-and-a-half months.
The subject of much trade talk during the offseason, Kluber has posted a 98-58 record with a 3.16 earned run average in 208 games, including 203 starts, over parts of nine seasons with the Indians.
