Corey Kluber’s first appearance with the Yankees didn’t last as long as he’d hoped, but the veteran right-hander had to be happy with what he showed in his pinstriped debut.
Kluber worked Saturday at The Bronx in a 5-3 win over the Blue Jays in a 5-3 win and appeared to be in control for most of the day. He gave up only one earned run on five hits in four innings. He struckout five batters and walked three after giving up a homerun to start the fifth inning,
For Kluber, this was another step back after missing all but one game last year as a member of the Rangers.
“It was nice to go out again and have the chance to compete with the guys,” said Kluber. “I think all in all I made pitches when needed.”
The two-time Cy Young winner threw 74 pitches on his first start since July last year. Kluber held the Blue Jays scoreless in the first two innings. He lost his command a bit in the third and walked two batters and a wild pitch. One of those batters, Danny Jansen, scored on a throwing error by catcher Gary Sanchez after Kluber struckout Cavan Biggio. Kluber then struckout Bo Bichette to end the inning.
Toronto loaded the bases in the fourth before Kluber Jansen grounded to short stop and got out of the inning.
“I thought Corey was throwing the ball well,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “He had pretty easy first few turns there and then had to expand a little bit, had that little stretch there where he lost the zone a little bit. Only the movement on his throws, the ability to move in and out, I really liked.
“Overall I thought it was a good step for him again.”
Marcus Semien homered off Kluber to start the fifth inning and Boone withdrew him. He left the game with the Yankees with a 3-2 lead, but took a no-decision after throwing only four innings.
For Kluber, just standing on the mound was a win after a torn muscle in his right shoulder that was limited to 18 places with the Rangers last season. He has pitched only 36² / ₃ innings in the past two years and made only seven starts in 2019 with Cleveland when dealing with forearm and oblique injuries.
“You spend a lot of time on your own rehabilitating, whether you’re not on the team when they’re on the road or come early and do things before all the guys get there,” said Kluber, who signed a one-year $ 11 million contract. deal with the Yankees, said. “You miss that team aspect a bit.”