Corey Kluber, two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, retires after 13 MLB seasons
Kluber was a three-time All-Star and threw a no-hitter in 2021 while with the Yankees
Corey Kluber, a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, announced his retirement Friday after a 13-year career that saw him play for the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox.
In his retirement note posted on Instagram, Kluber, 37, ended by saying that while his playing days are over, he would like to continue in the game in a different capacity.
“As I take my leave from the pitcher’s mound, my passion for baseball remains unwavering. I eagerly anticipate exploring opportunities to continue contributing to the sport in a different capacity. … For all of those that will be part of my next chapter in baseball, I look forward to passing on what I have learned to the next generation of MLB players.”
A fourth-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2007, Kluber remained in the organization until July 2010, when he landed with Cleveland as part of a three-team trade involving the Padres, Indians and St. Louis Cardinals. After shuffling between Double-A and Triple-A over the next year, he made his MLB debut on Sept. 1, 2011.
Kluber then established himself as a regular starter in Cleveland's rotation, and a few seasons later, he won the 2014 AL Cy Young Award after an 18-9 season in which he recorded 269 strikeouts and a 1.095 WHIP. Kluber was the fourth Cleveland pitcher to win the award, joining Gaylord Perry, C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee.
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Two seasons later, in 2016, Kluber finished third in AL Cy Young voting, and then he won the award a second time in 2017 with another 18-win campaign that saw him lead the league in ERA (2.25) and WHIP (0.869). Kluber remains the only two-time Cy Young Award winner in Indians/Guardians franchise history.
Kluber moved on from Cleveland after the 2019 season, joining the Rangers as part of a trade that sent Delino DeShields Jr. and Emmanuel Clase to the Indians. But after tearing his right teres major muscle, Kluber's time in Texas was cut short. He pitched only one inning before signing with the Yankees the following winter.
In New York, Kluber showed he still had something left, and on May 19, 2021, he threw the 12th no-hitter in Yankees history in a 2-0 win over the Rangers.
Congrats on a terrific career, Corey Kluber! 👏
We’ll always remember 5/19/21 👏 pic.twitter.com/8dpw6w5Ktw— YES Network (@YESNetwork) February 9, 2024
Following a full season in Tampa in 2022, Kluber experienced more injury issues after signing with the Red Sox before 2023. Right shoulder inflammation landed him on the injury list in June, and he did not return during the season.
Kluber's career comes to an end with a 116-77 record and a 3.44 ERA in 271 career games.
