AP source: Red Sox, RHP Corey Kluber agree to 1-year deal
Dec 28, 2022, 4:24 AM | Updated: 7:01 pm
FILE - Tampa Bay Rays' Corey Kluber pitches in the 13th inning of a wild card baseball playoff game against the Cleveland Guardians on Oct. 8, 2022, in Cleveland. The Boston Red Sox and Kluber agreed to a $10 million, one-year contract on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, adding the veteran right-hander to the team's rotation. (AP Photo/David Dermer, File)
(AP Photo/David Dermer, File)
The Boston Red Sox and Corey Kluber agreed to a $10 million, one-year contract on Wednesday, adding the veteran right-hander to the team’s rotation.
The deal includes an $11 million club option and various performance bonuses and escalators, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract for the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner was pending a successful physical.
The 36-year-old Kluber joins his third AL East team in as many years. He went 5-3 with a 3.83 ERA in 16 starts for the New York Yankees in 2021, including a no-hitter in a 2-0 victory at Texas. He had a 10-10 record and a 4.34 ERA in 31 starts for Tampa Bay this year.
Boston added Kluber a day after Nathan Eovaldi left the Red Sox for a two-year contract with Texas. It has been a difficult offseason for the Red Sox, who also lost star shortstop Xander Bogaerts in free agency.
Boston went 78-84 this year and finished last in the AL East. It had a 4.53 team ERA, ranking 25th in the majors.
Kluber bolsters a mix of potential starters that also includes Chris Sale, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello, Tanner Houck and James Paxton. Sale and Paxton have been hampered by injuries, and Whitlock and Houck mostly worked out of the bullpen last season.
Kluber made his big league debut with Cleveland in 2011. He was one of the majors’ top starters before he was slowed by injuries.
The three-time All-Star won his first Cy Young Award in 2014, going 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 235 2/3 innings. He won the award again with Cleveland in 2017, finishing with an 18-4 record, a 2.25 ERA and 265 Ks in 203 2/3 innings.
Kluber left Cleveland when he was traded to Texas in December 2019. He is 113-71 with a 3.31 ERA in 256 major league appearances, including 251 starts.
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