Corey Kluber Contract: Breaking down struggling Red Sox pitcher's salary details in 2023

Veteran starting pitcher Corey Kluber signed a one-year $10 million deal with the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2023 season. The contract includes a club option for a second year in 2024.

Kluber, a two-time AL Cy Young winner, previously pitched for the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays over the past two years.

Corey Kluber previously pitched for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the last two seasons.

A look into Corey Kluber’s MLB career

Kluber began his major league career in 2011 with the Cleveland Guardians, where he spent the first nine seasons of his career. He earned the AL Cy Young award in both 2014 and 2017 with the Guardians and was named an AL All-Star for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018.

In 2020, he signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers, followed by stints with the Yankees in 2021 and the Rays in 2022. It was during his time with the Yankees that Kluber threw the first and only no-hitter of his career.

Corey Kluber pitched his first and only no-hitter with the Yankees in 2021.

However, Kluber has struggled to regain his previous form since 2018 when he posted a stellar 2.89 ERA with a 20-7 record and 222 strikeouts in 215 innings pitched. In the subsequent years, his best ERA was 3.83, with a 5-3 record in 2020, recording 82 strikeouts in 80 innings.

Joining the Boston Red Sox, Kluber was expected to provide stability to the team’s pitching rotation. However, his performances haven’t lived up to expectations and he was recently moved back to the bullpen as a reliever for the first time since 2013.

With the departure of Nathan Eovaldi to the Rangers and Rich Hill signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kluber was signed to bring experience and leadership to a rotation that relies on young pitchers and the injury-prone Chris Sale.

While Kluber's recent performances have been inconsistent due to injuries and time away from the game, the Red Sox are still betting on his experience and potential to regain his past dominance.

Boston allowed other veteran players to depart in free agency, opting to rely on a mix of young talent and Kluber's veteran presence to carry them forward in throughout the 2023 season.