If you told us two years ago that Corey Kluber was going to be a free agent at this point of the offseason, we wouldn’t have believed you. Fast forward to today, and the former Cy Young award winner is yet to sign with an MLB club.
Kluber is coming off a big injury and the Texas Rangers decided to decline his option, and now that he seems back to full strength, it seems like there will be plenty of competition lining up for his services.
Peter Gammons of The Athletic recently reported that the Boston Red Sox are interested in signing him and that they could be leading the race due to their ties to the area, as Boston.com recently quoted.
Boston Red Sox Could Lead The Race For Corey Kluber
“Corey and Amanda Kluber and their daughters live in Winchester, where Amanda grew up, not far from Pedro Martinez. Gammons believes the Red Sox are firmly in the mix, but he said Kluber’s agent, B.B. Abbott, told him it will be a while before a decision is made. He also noted that Chris Sale will “push his return date,” and try to get back out there quickly, but that Tommy John surgery is a 15-to-18-month recovery,” read the report.
Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks Will Fight The Red Sox For Kluber
Nonetheless, it seems like Alex Cora’s team will have it too easy to land the former Cleveland Indians stalwart, as Zach Buchanan andBritt Ghiroli of The Athletic reported that the Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks are also looking to sign him:
“Am told the #Nationals are one of the teams that will scout free agent Corey Kluber when he throws in Florida next week. Washington needs back-end rotation help. Kluber’s workout is expected to be attended by double-digit teams. It will be at Cressey Sports Performance in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., where he trains in the offseason,” said Ghiroli.
“The Diamondbacks are among the many teams that will be scouting Corey Kluber’s showcase. General manager Mike Hazen has said he’s happy with his rotation, but he’s also not one to leave stones unturned,” added Buchanan.
If Kluber can go back to his former level – which is a huge if – he’s going to provide a massive boost for any team that signs him, so this is a story that’s definitely worthy of following closely over the next couple of days.
