LISTEN: Red Sox' Corey Kluber Speaks on Opening Day Start
Corey Kluber will be on the mound for the Red Sox on Opening Day as they take on the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park.
But before Kluber gets the ball on Thursday, he had the microphone on Tuesday, speaking with MLB Network Radio about getting the ball for the Sox, the emotion of the day and much more.
Kluber, almost 37, is entering his first season with the Red Sox and joins a rotation full of question marks. Kluber himself comes with injury concerns, having missed most of the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He also only made 16 starts in 2021 before rebounding to make 31 starts a season ago for Tampa Bay.
Alongside Kluber in the rotation are veteran lefty Chris Sale, who has thrown just 48.1 innings in the last year and righty Garrett Whitlock, who dealt with a hip issue last season and is slated to miss his first turn through the rotation. Rookie Bryan Bello is also going to miss a turn or two through the rotation with a forearm issue. Veteran left-hander James Paxton should also factor into the Sox rotation, but he too comes with concerns. He missed all of last season and threw just 1.1 innings in 2021 before going down with Tommy John surgery. He's behind schedule this year as well.
Kluber will be making his sixth career Opening Day start. The first five came with Cleveland (2015-19). He had a 2-2 record this spring and pitched to a 3.24 ERA.
Last season for Tampa, he went 10-10 with a 4.34 ERA. For his career, he's 113-71 with a 3.31 ERA. He won the American League Cy Young in both 2014 and 2017.
The Red Sox play the Orioles on Thursday at 2:10 pm. Kluber will be opposed by Kyle Gibson.
