The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Tribe ace weighs in on Tribe’s ALDS rotation
Corey Kluber, on starting Game 2: “It’s about us winning three games before they do. Whichever way that happens, and if it happens and we advance, it doesn’t matter who pitches when, in my mind.”
Corey Kluber’s outward emotions fluctuate about as much as those of the Bob Feller statue outside Progressive Field. So his nonreaction to being named the Game 2 starter of the ALDS with the Yankees is not surprising.
Kluber, 18-4 in the regular season, was healthy and rested enough to start the series opener. But Indians manager Francona decided to hold his ace back a day and send Trevor Bauer to the mound against Sonny Gray in the opener Oct. 5. Francona announced his decision on Oct. 3, but he and pitching coach Mickey Callaway hatched the plan in mid-September.
“To me, it’s not about me wanting to pitch the first game or wanting to pitch
the second game,” Kluber said before Game 1 on Oct. 5. “It’s about us winning three games before they do. Whichever way that happens, and if it happens and we advance, it doesn’t matter
who pitches when, in my mind.
“I don’t really think it took convincing. They explained the thought process behind it. I don’t think it’s something they just threw together over a couple drinks one night. My response was I’m willing to pitch whenever you feel it gives us the best chance to win.”
Francona explained he is holding Kluber for Game 2 for a few reasons. If the series goes the distance, Kluber would pitch Game 5 on Oct. 11 on his normal four days rest.
If the Yankees would win Game 1, the Indians would have their best pitcher on the mound the next day to try to even the series. Also, Kluber would be rested for Game 1 of the ALCS on Oct. 13 if the Tribe could oust the Yankees in three or four games.
There is one other benefit to starting Kluber in Game 2. He did not face Yankees slugger Aaron Judge in the regular season, so he will have a front-row seat to watch how Bauer pitches to him in the series opener to go along with all the preseries scouting the Indians have already done on Judge and the rest of the Yankees lineup.
“The year he’s had speaks for itself,” Kluber said. “Obviously, he’s a great hitter. I haven’t faced him yet, but I don’t think it’s any different from any point in your career when you’re facing somebody for the first time.
“You scout him as best you can and you try to figure out a game plan for him and go out there and execute it. And if that doesn’t work, you try to adjust and find the best way that you can that you think you can get him out.”
Bauer, not Kluber, started Game 1 of the ALDS with the Red Sox last year because Kluber was still recovering from a quadriceps strain.
Bauer was lifted in the fifth inning with the Indians nursing a 4-3 lead. That was when Andrew Miller became more than a lateinning reliever. Miller replaced Bauer and pitched two innings to earn the victory and start a trend of early appearances that continued throughout the playoffs.
Kluber pitched seven shutout innings in Game 2, a 6-0 Indians victory, and then won the opener of the ALCS with the Toronto Blue Jays by pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings of a 2-0 Indians victory.
Kluber started Game 4 of the ALCS on three days rest and pitched five innings in a 5-1 loss.
The only thing that could sabotage Francona’s plan would be a postponement of Game 2 to Oct. 7. The weather forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of rain.