Last offseason, the Boston Red Sox signed starting pitcher Corey Kluber to a one-year, $10 million deal. Boston declined their $11 million club option on Kluber, making him an unrestricted free agent. For the past couple of seasons, injuries have derailed the performance of the 37-year-old veteran pitcher. In the last five seasons, he has played for five different teams. The gamble on the Kluber did not work out, as he went 3-6 with a 7.04 ERA. Boston’s Opening Day pitcher was relegated to the bullpen by June 20th. He would not pitch for the Red Sox after that date. The two-time Cy Young Award winner could have one final chance to redeem himself, perhaps on a championship-caliber team. Several teams may be interested in signing the 2014 and 2017 American League Cy Young Award winner. Here are a few possible landing spots for Corey Kluber.
Corey Kluber on whether he’ll play next year: “we’ll see.” pic.twitter.com/PMQrzofzGq
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) November 10, 2023
Corey Kluber’s Potential Landing Spots
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have revived the careers of many talented ballplayers who have either lost their touch or struggled with injury, only to show out in a Dodgers uniform. During the 2022 season, the Dodgers turned journeyman Tyler Anderson, who played on four teams before the Dodgers, a first-time all-star. Who says they can’t do the same with a more talented pitcher in Corey Kluber? With injuries to Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, and with Julio Urías‘ status unknown, Los Angeles could greatly use Kluber’s experience. Not only is this a reasonable gamble for Los Angeles, but they could obtain Kluber at a low price after his last few disappointing seasons. The Dodgers will certainly be in the mix for a championship next season, and adding Kluber to the mix could make things more interesting for them.
Philadelphia Phillies
After a 22-26 start to the 2023 season, the Philadelphia Phillies went on a tear. They clinched the fourth seed in the National League, eventually falling in Game 7 of the NLCS to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The biggest priority for the Phillies is re-signing starting pitcher Aaron Nola. If Philadelphia fails to get Nola back, they should certainly keep an eye out for every option available. Corey Kluber is one of those options, as he could rejuvenate his career with the Phillies. With a powerful, star-studded offense behind him, Kluber would have a chance to make the last years of his career memorable. Even with Zack Wheeler, Taijuan Walker, and Ranger Suárez, the Phillies need as much talent as they can acquire if they want to become champions.
Arizona Diamondbacks
This past month, the Diamondbacks made their first World Series appearance since 2001. While they saw phenomenal pitching from their ace Zac Gallen the entire season, the same can’t be said for the rest of Arizona’s pitching staff. Gallen had 17 regular-season wins in 2023. Arizona’s next-best pitcher was Merrill Kelly who only had 12 regular season wins. Rookie Brandon Pfaadt was exceptional during the postseason, but he went 3-9 during the regular season. As a team, the D-Backs ranked 20th in ERA with a horrendous 4.48 ERA. There’s a chance the Diamondbacks could once again find themselves in the playoff hunt next season. If Kluber can find his old Cy Young ways, he could bolster this pitching rotation, and help Arizona back to the pennant.
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