Corey Kluber appeared to be a steal for the New York Yankees during spring training. While March statistics do not count, Kluber appeared to be healthy and ready to be a solid part of the Yankees’ rotation, posting a 2.77 ERA and a 1.308 WHiP during his 13 innings. There was some concern as he walked seven and hit three batters, but he also had 14 strikeouts. Any command issues could be chalked up to his injury woes last season which kept him to just one inning of work.
Then the regular season began. Kluber has been mediocre at best for the Yankees, posting a 5.40 ERA and a 1.933 WHiP in his 15 innings. While he has struck out 14 batters, he has also issued 11 walks and hit another two batters, as his command is still a work in progress.
New York Yankees should be concerned with Corey Kluber
The underlying metrics do not paint a better picture. Kluber ranks in the 20th percentile in max exit velocity, barrel rate, walk rate, and fastball velocity. Opponents have hammered Kluber to a .310/.425/.483 batting line with three homers.
The Yankees are counting on Kluber to be close to the pitcher he had been during his stellar run with the Indians. He was a key part of their offseason strategy as they remade their roster in an attempt to slide under the luxury tax. In fact, it is fair to say that the Yankees had replaced fan favorite Masahiro Tanaka with Kluber, hoping for similar production at a fraction of the cost.
That has not happened. Instead, Kluber looks to be exactly what he is – a 35 year old pitcher who has barely seen in the mound in the past two seasons. His track record and previous success no longer matter; Kluber is a struggling veteran who is clinging to a major league career at this point.
And that is a major problem for the Yankees. If Kluber was being counted on to fill out the back of the rotation, then his struggles would not be that concerning. There would be more time, and presumably patience, to allow him to get back on track.
However, as the Yankees head into action on Tuesday, they find themselves with a 9-13 record and in the AL East basement. For a team with postseason aspirations, and the goal of returning to the World Series, that is not nearly good enough.
Yes, Kluber has made just four starts to this point. And yes, it is just one month into the season. A lot can change once players have settled into their rhythms and we get to a larger sample size. Maybe it is premature to ring the alarm bells on Kluber. But the Yankees’ level of concern has to be growing at this point.
The New York Yankees need Corey Kluber to be a solid second starter if they are going to compete. His struggles thus far should be a reason for concern.