The New York Yankees were one of the 25 teams that sent scouts to the Corey Kluber showcase that took place on Wednesday in Florida. By now, if you follow the news, you know that the right-handed hurler looked sharp in the 30-pitch session.
Jeff Passan reported that he sat between 88 and 90 miles per hour on his fastball, and also threw other pitches. During his best days with the Cleveland Indians, Kluber used to average between 92 and 93 mph.
For him to be sitting 88-90 in mid-January is actually a great sign for the New York Yankees if they move quick to swing a deal with the veteran. It means that with over a month to go until spring training, he has lots of room for his arm to gain more velo.
Kluber was so impressive in the workout that, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the bidding on him “will likely reach a conclusion by this weekend.” Several teams are interested, and the New York Yankees are a logical fit.
Kluber may fit the Yankees budget
The Yankees won’t be breaking the bank for a Trevor Bauer-type pitcher this offseason, as they did it last year by bringing Gerrit Cole to a record-breaking nine-year deal. That’s why they are reportedly focusing on low-cost acquisitions, hoping to hit the jackpot with one of them.
Rotoworld speculates that Kluber may be able to net himself a multi-year deal given the healthy state of his arm and the velocity he is already showing. If that’s the case, it remains to be seen if the Yankees will be in the bidding, with so many pitching-starved teams around the league.
For his career, the 34-year-old Kluber has a 3.16 ERA and a 2.99 FIP in 1342.2 frames. His dominance is best explained by his 9.80 K/9 and his 1.96 BB/9. Injuries limited him to one inning in 2020 and 35.2 in 2019.