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Corey Kluber 2019 Outlook: Can He Reverse Negative Trends?
6 years agoIt’s hard to nitpick anything about Corey Kluber. The Cleveland ace had another dominant season on the mound, posting a 2.89 ERA and 6.53 K/BB ratio in 215 innings in 2018. Even with such great numbers, there were a few worrying trends in Kluber’s game last year. His fastball clocked in at a career-low 92.4 MPH, a full tick below his career average. His strikeout rate fell by 8% despite record-high strikeout numbers across the league. He also allowed 1.05 HR/9, his highest home run rate since 2012. And that’s before factoring in how the trade rumors that have swirled around Kluber all offseason affect his draft stock. While a change of scenery might not be the worst thing for Kluber, Progressive Field was tied for fourth-best hitters’ park in 2018, those rumors create more uncertainty around the ace. Kluber still enters the season as a borderline top-five starter, but these are some worrying trends, specifically with his velocity drop. That’s not to suggest Kluber is on the precipice of disaster. He’s still an elite starting pitcher, but it'll be interesting to see which way these trends head in 2019. He’s good as a top-30 overall player but probably shouldn’t push top-20. Kluber currently has an ADP of 24.
