Kluber sharp in first outing of comeback
TAMPA — Corey Kluber had not gone this deep in a game since early 2019, the two-time Cy Young winner joked Wednesday night. The right-hander was sharp in two perfect innings, striking out three on just 22 pitches.
“I feel like it was pretty solid. First and foremost, I think it was nice to get out there and. Fun to get out there and face another team. I was joking around afterwards, it’s the first time I’ve gone multiple innings against a real opponent in almost two years, which is too long,” Kluber said after the Yankees 4-1 win over the Blue Jays Wednesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “So it was fun to get out there. And obviously, there’s a bonus that it went well as well. I think first and foremost, I just kind of want to get out there and feel the adrenaline of being in the game and stuff again.”
Kluber, who the Yankees signed to a one-year $11 million deal to beef up their rotation, missed a lot of baseball. In 2019, he was shut down in May after suffering a broken arm on a comebacker. He was shut down after one inning in 2020 after suffering a shoulder injury.
After all that time away, Kluber said his body needed to feel the adrenaline of being back on the mound and facing a real, live opponent.
“I probably maybe needed a little bit of that adrenaline to kind of remind my body what it feels like to go out there and have that,” Kluber said. “It’s hard to replicate that in a bullpen and replicate that in a live BP. For me, at least, it’s hard to get that same amount of adrenaline, same butterflies, all that kind of stuff. So I think it was good for me to feel that and go out there and kind of regulate everything and pitch with that..”
And with the Yankees hosting their third game with limited fans this spring, Kluber also remembered how different felt with people in the seats.
“Obviously, not having fans last year, whether it was for summer camp or the one inning that I pitched, it is noticeable when there are fans, no matter how many,” Kluber said. “I think that buzz of the crowd or getting into it in certain situations . ... like I said the other day, I probably didn’t appreciate how much you kind of notice that and pay attention to it until it gets taken away. But it was fun to have people in the stands.”
From 2014-18, Kluber had a strikeout percentage of 28.5 and a walk rate of ust 5.2% while pitching to a 2.85 ERA. Kluber won the American League Cy Young award in 2014 and ’17.
FORD PUTS 2020 IN REARVIEW
Mike Ford had an awful 2020. After making his first ever Opening Day roster, the lefty slugger was demoted to the Alternate Training
SIte. He was never able to get back on track in the 60-game, coronavirus abbreviated season.
So, Tuesday, when he smacked a double off the wall driving in the winning runs in the Yankees’ 4-2 win over the Orioles in Sarasota, it felt better than just a spring training-game hit.
“It was a great feeling,” Ford said. “I don’t think I had a hit and probably like five months. It was a good feeling to get the first one out of the way..”
Ford comes into camp with no guarantees about his spot. The Yankees brought in veteran lefty slugger Jay Bruce, who can play the corner outfield spot and first base. Ford knows he has to prove himself this spring.
“I really worked hard in the offseason to get my body in probably the best shape I’ve been in a very long time,” said Ford who looks much leaner this spring. “I always try to perform especially when I got a little chip on my shoulder and I’ve got a lot of great competition here.”
GARY HOMERS AGAIN
Gary Sanchez hit his second home run of spring and in as many games in Wednesday night’s win over the Blue Jays. Derek Dietrich, the utility player who is a non-roster invitee, hit his first . ... Aaron Judge, who was plunked in the left back area and was removed for a pinch runner in the fourth inning, is fine, according to interim manager Carlos Mendoza.
“He is fine. He was hit in the lat,``Mendoza said. “He was scheduled to be off (Thursday) after playing back-to-back games.” …. Brett Gardner went 0-for-1 with a walk and Giancarlo Stanton went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in their first games of the spring. … Socrates Brito hit his first homer of the spring in the bottom of the seventh inning.