Corey Kluber Pitches Four Solid Innings in Rangers 4-3 Loss to Padres
The Rangers fell to the Padres by a score of 4-3 in their first night game of the spring. As standard practice with spring training, the focus here is going to be on the Rangers players rather than the game's result. Tonight's spotlight falls on Corey Kluber.
Kluber is the prized offseason acquisition the Rangers made over the winter. The team expects him to be closer to who he was in 2018 rather than 2019, where he struggled in seven starts before getting struck with a line drive that was a major part of why Kluber didn't pitch again last year. If Kluber can be closer to who he was in 2017 and 2018, they've got a legitimate Cy Young candidate atop the rotation.
Naturally, every time Kluber takes the mound, even when the games don't count in the win-loss columns, all eyes and ears make their way to the closest TVs and/or radios.
Kluber was exceptional tonight, throwing four innings, allowing two hits, one run, two walks, and struck out two San Diego batters. His first three innings were very good, only facing one over the minimum. He labored through the 4th inning, throwing 26 pitches and allowing his lone earned run on an Eric Hosmer sacrifice fly. Kluber threw 69 pitches total in his four innings of work.
Kluber has now pitched seven innings in Cactus League play, allowing three earned runs in his two starts. More importantly, his fastball velocity has been in the low-90's, which is expected. All the reports on his pitches look good and his breaking ball has been sharp.
With Kluber, everything is about command. If he can regain his command from prior to 2019, he still has the stuff to be a top-of-the-rotation starter and potentially still a CY Young candidate. In two spring starts, there have been no red flags, which is a great sign for someone coming off a long absence from baseball, especially with how reliable Kluber had been prior to the freak incident in 2019.
Kyle Gibson takes the ball for tomorrow's game in Phoenix against the Milwaukee Brewers. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM CT.
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