Kluber shipped to IL (with shoulder injury)
MINNEAPOLIS — In a predictable turn of events after he gave up three loud home runs on Tuesday night, the Red Sox placed righthander Corey Kluber on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday.
According to the Sox, Kluber has shoulder inflammation.
Kluber is 3-6 with a 7.04 ERA since being signed as a free agent to a one-year, $10 million contract. The 37-year-old was 2-6, 6.26 in nine starts before being demoted to the bullpen earlier this month.
He has since allowed 14 earned runs on 23 hits over six relief appearances and 13‚ innings. Opponents hit .377 with six home runs in those games.
“I think this is the smart thing to do with him,” manager Alex Cora said, before the Sox lost, 5-4, on Wednesday night to the Twins in 10 innings.
Kluber has averaged fewer strikeouts (6.9) and more hits (11.2) per nine innings than at any point in his career.
Tuesday night’s appearance against the Twins was particularly painful.
Kluber allowed a two-run homer by slumping Byron Buxton in the eighth inning, then solo shots by Royce Lewis and Max Kepler leading off the ninth.
All three homers had exit velocities over 104 m.p.h.
“The first inning when he goes multiple innings has been solid. After that he hasn’t been able to maintain the stuff,” Cora said. “They’re putting good swings on him.”
Kluber was the only starter chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom obtained before the season. Through Tuesday, Sox starters had an ERA of 4.82, the seventh-worst mark in the major leagues.
Hamilton debuts
The Sox replaced Kluber on the roster with Triple A shortstop David Hamilton, who made his major league debut in the eighth inning as a pinch runner for Masataka Yoshida.
Hamilton stole second base and scored a run.
He arrived on Wednesday afternoon on the same flight as Worcester teammate Brandon Walter, a lefthander lined up to pitch on Thursday in the series finale following an opener, likely righthander Justin Garza.
Hamilton, 25, was one of the prospects obtained from the Brewers in the Hunter Renfroe trade before the 2022 season. He had an .825 OPS in 52 games with the WooSox.
Hamilton has stolen 97 bases in 111 attempts the last two seasons.
His parents were able to get to Target Field from Texas in time for the game.
“Everybody was smiling, hugging me, congratulating me,” Hamilton said. “Felt good, means a lot.”
His father, David, played in the Reds system from 1987-88.
“He was giddy,” said Hamilton, who will be in the lineup on Thursday.
Hamilton was added to the roster because infielder Pablo Reyes strained an abdominal muscle before Tuesday night’s game. Reyes pinch ran in the 10th inning on Wednesday.
Reyes has hit .308 with a .712 OPS in 25 games for the Sox since being purchased from Oakland after he was designated for assignment. He’s also played solid defense at shortstop and second base.
Walter was 1-5 with a 6.28 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in 12 appearances for Worcester, 11 of them starts.
“It’s a dream come true,” Walter said. “Obviously everybody who plays baseball growing up wants to make it to this level and be able to compete and be able to contribute to a winning team. No better team to do it with than the Boston Red Sox, with so much history, and I’m excited.”
Walter was a 26th-round draft pick in 2019 and signed for a modest $35,000. He was able to improve the velocity of his fastball and opened eyes by pitching well in 2021 in Single A. He was 2-2 with a 3.60 ERA in nine Double A starts last season but has a 6.49 ERA over 15 games in Triple A over two seasons.
His parents, girlfriend, agent, and other friends will be at the game.
Rodriguez in minors
Lefthander Joely Rodriguez will continue his rehab assignment in Worcester and is scheduled to pitch again Friday. The reliever is not expected to return until next week. He opened the season on the injured list with a strained oblique, pitched poorly over five games in May, and has been out again with shoulder inflammation . . . ESPN picked up the July 23 game against the Mets at Fenway Park. The Sunday game now has a 7:10 p.m. start time . . . Carlos Adames, the World Boxing Council interim middleweight champion, was on the field before the game and chatted with fellow Dominican Rafael Devers. Adames is fighting Julian Williams in Minneapolis on Saturday night.