Nationals: Washington To Attend Corey Kluber’s Workout
By Max Rayman
A two time Cy Young winner, Corey Kluber will be looking to make a comeback after only making seven starts over the past two years.
On January 13, Corey Kluber will be having a workout in Florida, with Washington being one of the teams in attendance. Kluber was one of the best pitchers in the 2010s, but injuries have led to him only throwing 36.2 innings over the past two seasons.
Kluber plans to throw a 30 pitch bullpen in order to prove to teams he is finally healthy. In 2019, the veteran was hit by a line drive that fractured his throwing arm, forcing him to miss the majority of the season. Before the start of the 2020 season, Kluber was traded to the Rangers but only made one start due to a torn teres major muscle. Now two years from appearing in a full season, Kluber’s stock has hit an all-time low. However, as recent as 2018, Kluber went 20-7, with a 2.89 ERA, 222 strikeouts, and a 3.12 FIP.
With Anibal Sanchez being a free agent, Washington is in the market for a fourth starter, and Kluber is a prime candidate. When healthy, the 34-year-old is one of the best pitchers in the game, throwing for 200+ innings and strikeouts in five straight seasons (2014-2018). Kluber spent the majority of his career with Cleveland, going 98-58, with a 3.16 ERA, 1,462 strikeouts, and a 2.99 FIP.
Teaming a healthy Kluber up with Washington’s big three would give them arguably the best rotation in the game. Kluber is a high risk, high reward signing and Washington needs to aim big if they want to return to contention. In Washington, Kluber would no longer bear the workload of an ace. Instead, due to the presence of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin, Kluber will be allowed extra time to recover and show he’s back to full strength. A one-year flier on the former ace is well worth the risk.