Right-hander Corey Kluber and the New York Yankees are finalizing a one-year, $11 million deal that would bring the two-time AL Cy Young winner to the Bronx, pending a physical, sources familiar with the agreement told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Kluber’s first season with the Texas Rangers came to an abrupt halt when the two-time Cy Young Award winner suffered a tear in his shoulder muscle just 18 pitches into his only start for the team in 2020. It was Kluber’s first start since suffering a broken right forearm when he was hit by a line drive on May 1, 2019.
Texas declined to pick up his $18 million option for 2021 after the season.
The 34-year-old Kluber, a two-time Cy Young Award winner with the Cleveland Indians, was traded to the Rangers last offseason. He was dominant at times with the Indians, going 98-58 with a 3.16 ERA over his nine seasons with the team, while throwing at least 200 innings for five consecutive seasons.
He won his first Cy Young in 2014, when he went 18-9, and he added No. 2 in 2017 after going 18-4 and leading the American League with a 2.25 ERA.
Kluber, a three-time All-Star selection, made five consecutive Opening Day starts from 2015 to 2019. During his time in Cleveland, he was also lauded for showing the team’s young pitchers what it took to be a professional with his diligent training regimen and meticulous preparation for every start.