Tribe ace Kluber poised for redemption

Corey Kluber authored an outstanding postseason in 2016. His pitching correlated with the Indians playing seven games and an extra inning in that year’s World Series.

A year ago, Kluber was roughed up by the New York Yankees in two starts. The Indians’ fivegame loss to the Yankees wasn’t coincidental.

The Indians begin the postseason in Houston on Oct. 5, where Kluber will ascend the mound as their Game 1 starter. It’s obvious any team’s ace plays a significant role in his franchise’s postseason aspirations, but Kluber’s role is magnified.

Kluber dealt with back troubles during the ALDS against the Yankees after, on short rest, he yielded four runs in four innings to the Chicago Cubs in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series.

At the dawn of the 2018 postseason, Kluber is healthy and poised to pitch true to form.

“Oh, he’s ready to go,” manager Terry Francona said. “He’s ready to accept the challenge of anchoring our staff.”

Kluber finished the 2018 season 20-7 with a 2.89 ERA. Kluber, who dealt with a knee issue around the All-Star Break but never landed on the disabled list, struck out 222 hitters in 215 innings. His career-best rate of 1.4 walks per nine innings led the American League.

The Indians’ 2016 postseason run marked Kluber’s first playoff experience. In his first five starts, he was magnificent. The righthander from Texas went 4-1 with a 0.89 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings.

After Kluber held the Cubs to a run over six innings in Game 4, the Indians were a game away from their first World Series title since 1948.

Over Kluber’s next three postseason starts, he’s 0-1 with an 11.32 ERA by virtue of 13 runs and six home runs allowed over 10 1/3 innings. In the meantime, the Indians blew a 3-1 lead to the Cubs and relinquished a 2-0 series lead over the Yankees in last year’s ALDS.

Kluber surely isn’t solely at fault for the Indians’ playoff misfortune circumstances mitigate his uncharacteristic recent numbers.

When Francona sent Kluber out for Game 7 in 2016, Kluber was gassed. Last year, the Indians’ ace reportedly battled a bad back while he tried to pitch against the Yankees. When Kluber was chased before the end of the fourth inning in Game 4, he threw on short rest.

As such, faith hasn’t wavered among Kluber’s teammates.

Kluber and second baseman Jason Kipnis each debuted in 2011. Kipnis knows the Indians need Kluber as badly as the Astros count on Justin Verlander or the Boston Red Sox on Chris Sale.

“He’s been our ace in October,” Kipnis said. “In ‘16, he carried the load as much as he could. ‘17, he tried to as well. I think, your ace, if you go through a bunch of the playoff teams, that’s your workhorse, that’s what leads it, that’s what you’re expecting to get you that 1-0 lead in the series.”

Francona’s plan for the ALDS entails pitching Kluber in Game 1, Carlos Carrasco in Game 2 and Mike Clevinger in Game 3. If the series extends to a fourth game, the Indians will start Shane Bieber or Trevor Bauer — depending on how Francona uses either pitcher out of the bullpen early in the series.

Kluber would likely start a possible Game 5, but would surely benefit from five full days of rest between Game 1 on Oct. 5 and a Game 5 on Oct. 11. Long term, Francona’s management of Kluber’s workload benefits the team — to say nothing of the Indians advancing in less than four games.

“We talked to him about pitching Game 1, pitching Game 2,” Francona said. “There’s some obvious reasons for both. He really wanted the — I don’t want to say burden because I don’t think it’s a burden — like I said, (he’s) accepting the challenge of leading our team into the playoffs. I can’t think of anybody better.”

When Kluber’s at his best, the better the Indians’ chances are to return to the World Series.

Barnes can be reached at NBarnes@News-Herald. com; @natebarnes_ on Twitter.

DAVID DERMER — ASSOCIATED PRESS Corey Kluber throws in the bullpen during a team workout Oct. 2.