Just For Starters: Breaking Down Corey Kluber's Start Friday Against Twins
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A well-rested Corey Kluber cruised through six innings on Friday allowing just one run and one hit and leaving with the Tampa Bay Rays ahead 6-1 over the Minnesota Twins.
He only threw 71 pitches, but manager Kevin Cash went to the bullpen in the seventh anyway
It was a big start for Kluber, who had given up 11 hits in his last start last Friday in a loss to Boston. Plus, the Twins came in red hot, winning seven in a row.
Here is a breakdown of Kluber's night on Friday, and the cumulative numbers of the Rays starting staff this season:
Rays' Starters By The Numbers
- Starter: Corey Kluber
- Game: Friday vs. Minnesota Twins
- Decision: Won, now 1-1 on the season
- Team result: Won 6-1, now 12-8 on the season
- Innings pitched: 6.0
- Total pitches: 71
- Strikes: 48
- Runs allowed: 1
- Earned runs: 1
- Hits allowed: 1
- Walks allowed: 0
- Total strikeouts: 6
- Status upon departure: Corey Kluber pitched through the sixth inning. He left with a 6-1 lead and was replaced by Javy Guerra in the top of the seventh.
- The skinny: Kluber had his best outing of the season and it was a bit surprising that it ended as early as it did. With just 71 pitches, I would have guessed that he would have at least gone back out for the seventh.
Season Totals for Rays Starters
- Starters: Shane McClanahan (4), Drew Rasmussen (4), Corey Kluber
(4), Luis Patino, Tommy Romero, Josh Fleming - Games: 15 (5 openers, not included in numbers)
- Decisions: 2-5 thru Thursday
- Team result: 11-8 thru Thursday
- Innings pitched (avg.): 66.1/4.4
- - Season high innings: 7.0, Shane McClanahan (April 24)
- - Season low innings: 2/3, Luis Patino (April 11)
- Total pitches (avg.): 1,067/70.2
- - Season high pitches: 89, Corey Kluber (April 22)
- - Season low pitches: 13, Luis Patino (April 11)
- Total strikeouts (avg.): 74/4.9
- - Season high strikeouts: 9, Shane McClanahan (April 18), Drew Rasmussen (April 27)
- Runs allowed (avg.): 30/2.0
- Earned runs (avg.): 27/1.9
- Hits allowed (avg.): 59/3.9
- - Season most hits allowed: 11, Corey Kluber (April 22)
- Walks allowed (avg.): 20/1.3
- Starter ERA: 3.66
Tom Brew is the publisher of Inside The Rays, and has been with the Sports Illustrated/FanNation network for three years. He is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his four-decade career at the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has written four books.