Texas Rangers: Corey Kluber signs with the New York Yankees

Corey Kluber‘s Texas Rangers career lasted just one start, a hot July afternoon in an interleague matchup against the Colorado Rockies.

Kluber tossed just one inning in that game, striking out one, but allowing no runs to cap off his time in Texas with a pristine 0.00 ERA!

Give the man his 3rd career Cy Young Award or have his number retired by the Rangers or something! The stats don’t lie, after all…

All jokes aside, though, the soon to be 35-year-old right-hander inked a one-year pact with the New York Yankees on Friday, estimated to be worth around $11 million. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first to report the engagement.

Right-hander Corey Kluber and the New York Yankees are finalizing a deal that will bring the two-time AL Cy Young winner to the Bronx, pending a physical, sources familiar with the agreement tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 16, 2021

Kluber's deal with the Yankees is expected to be for one year and $11 million, per source.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 16, 2021

Corey Kluber’s price tag was too much for the Texas Rangers to pay given his one-start debacle of a 2020 season.

Had the Texas Rangers picked up an option on Kluber’s original contract, the organization would have owed him $18 million in 2021, a price tag that was ultimately deemed too exorbitant for an oft-injured hurler.

It’s surprising that despite his one start all of last season and his injury, Kluber still managed to net an eight figure deal.

The Yankees are, of course, banking on Kluber resuscitating his career with them. Specifically, New York is hoping he’ll rekindle the pitching form that made him a perennial Cy Young contender with the Cleveland Indians from 2014 to 2018.

The veteran right-hander held a showcase for interested teams on Wednesday in a display of his supposed health, with upwards of 25 teams reportedly in attendance, including the Texas Rangers.

#Rangers were one of the 25, but they could get priced out. https://t.co/PAq40Hngho
— Jeff Wilson (@JeffWilsonTXR) January 13, 2021

The Yankees were obviously impressed enough to give Kluber $11 million, even if just for one year.

Then again, it’s possible New York might also have had some inside knowledge on the status of the 34-year-old’s health…

#Yankees always had a HUGE edge in knowledge with Kluber. Eric Cressey is overseeing Kluber’s rehab from a shoulder injury that kept him to 1GS last yr and Cressey is also the #Yankees director of health and performance.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) January 16, 2021

Let the chips fall as they may, though. The Yankees are certainly taking a risk on this one-time former Texas Ranger.

But while the risk stands to be high, so does the reward, given what Kluber has proven he can accomplish at the highest level when healthy.

It’s just a shame he could never reach that apex in a Texas Rangers uniform…

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