Sources: Red Sox add Kluber to retooled rotation
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Jeff PassanESPN
Right-hander Corey Kluber and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $10 million contract that includes a club option for 2024, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN, rounding out a remaking of the team’s pitching staff through free agent signings.
Kluber, 36, is a two-time Cy Young Award winner whose strikeout-to-walk ratio was the second best in the American League last year as he punched out 139 and issued 21 free passes in 164 innings for the Tampa Bay Rays.
He joins a rotation that includes veterans Chris Sale and Nick Pivetta. Right-handers Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck, both of whom have been most effective in relief roles, will vie for spots, as will rookie right-hander Brayan Bello.
Boston already remade its bullpen with the signings of closer Kenley Jansen, right-hander Chris Martin and left-hander Joely Rodriguez. They also brought in Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida on a five-year, $90 million deal as well as third baseman Justin Turner.
While injuries limited Kluber to 116⅔ innings from 2019 to ’21, he proved a capable innings-eater for the Rays despite a fastball velocity that was 43rd among 45 qualified starters. Kluber threw his fastball a little more than a quarter of the time, relying more on a cutter — along with a curveball and an occasional changeup — to post a 4.34 ERA.
In his prime, from 2014 to ’18, Kluber was among the best pitchers in baseball. He won a pair of Cy Youngs with Cleveland, for whom he pitched through 2019. He was traded to Texas before the 2020 season and pitched one inning for the Rangers. Kluber played for the New York Yankees in 2021 before going to Tampa Bay on a one-year, $8 million deal.
PITTSBURGH — It took 47 major league games before Pirates ace Paul Skenes gave up seven hits to an opposing lineup.
Skenes’ record streak of allowing six or fewer hits ended at 46 starts Thursday night in a 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
According to OptaStats, the longest such streak to begin a career (excluding openers) previously belonged to Shohei Ohtani, who went 31 starts from 2018 to 2021 for the Los Angeles Angels.
Skenes (7-8) yielded seven hits over six innings Thursday night. He struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 1.94, lowest among qualified pitchers. He extended his scoreless streak at home to 27⅔ innings; he hasn’t allowed a run at PNC Park since June 8 against the Philadelphia Phillies — and that one was unearned.
“His stuff was elite,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said.
Skenes hasn’t permitted an earned run over his past five starts at PNC Park, the longest such stretch for a Pirates pitcher at home since earned runs became an official National League statistic in 1912. Skenes had shared the team record with Bob Harmon (1915) and Zane Smith (1990).
The 23-year-old right-hander is the youngest major league pitcher since 1920 with such a streak.
“Every time he goes out, he’s unbelievable, the way he’s able to attack hitters,” Kelly said.
Skenes has been especially effective against the Reds, with a 4-0 career record and 0.39 ERA to go with 33 strikeouts.
NEW YORK — The Mets will honor the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four’s performance at Shea Stadium, where they will host the Mariners on Aug. 15 for The Beatles Night at Citi Field.
The 1965 performance was a milestone because The Beatles became the first rock band to perform a major stadium concert. A 50-minute documentary titled “The Beatles at Shea Stadium” captured the show. At the time, the multipurpose stadium was home to the Mets and New York Jets.
The celebration will begin with a performance by 1964 the Tribute in front of Shea Bridge at 6:15 p.m. ET. The first 15,000 fans to enter Citi Field will receive an exclusive Shea Stadium replica.
The first pitch will be thrown by members of the game-day staff who worked the famous concert. A themed fireworks show will be held after the game.
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