Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber is among the most dominant hurlers in baseball, but the former Cy Young Award winner will miss time after going down with a quadriceps injury.
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Kluber Timetable Revealed
Tuesday, Sept. 27
According to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, the quadriceps strain is expected to keep the pitcher out for seven to 10 days.
Kluber lasted only four innings in his last start before coming out with an apparent groin injury. However, the MRI revealed it to be a different leg issue.
Bastian broke down what this means for the Indians, who have already clinched the division title:
The Tribe boasts a spectacular starting rotation featuring several power arms, but Kluber is arguably the best among them, and he is producing to the tune of 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA in 2016.
Expectations were massive for Kluber entering the 2015 campaign after he went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 269 strikeouts en route to the Cy Young Award in 2014.
Although he was unable to replicate those numbers, bad luck was among the major culprits, as his 3.49 ERA should have been lower when compared to his 2.97 FIP, per Baseball-Reference.com. He also posted a record of just 9-16 despite his strong peripheral numbers, which speaks to how little run support he received in 2015.
In addition to that, he was forced to deal with an injury late in the season, as a hamstring ailment limited him in September. He still managed to make 32 starts, though, and he has proved to be fairly durable over the course of his career.
Pitching is undoubtedly the Indians’ greatest strength, so they may be able to have success even without the 30-year-old veteran in the rotation despite all the positives he brings to the table.
With Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin also on the team, Cleveland boasts more power arms than any club in all of Major League Baseball.
The potential absence of Kluber will certainly test the Indians’ pitching depth, but they should still have a great chance to win on most days.
Kluber is the type of ace who sets the Tribe apart from the rest of the league, though, which is why his recovery and return to full health will be so important for Cleveland moving forward.
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