Seems like the right move. They need to see what they have in the young arms, who are all performing better than Kluber anyway. They had to give him a certain amount of rope and this seems like about the right amount.

Unfortunately, he doesn't seem like the type of pitcher who will improve with a move the pen, so it's likely mop-up for now.

Don't know what to make of Kluber. He was healthy last year for the first time in years. And he did a pretty good job of throwing strikes while being generally ... well I'd have expected a guy. Maybe a little better than replacement level, but unlikely to be an open wound.

But it's not exactly uncommon for pitchers his age to just lose it. And mediocre aging pitchers are terrible bets anyhow.

Sure. Garbage time makes sense now. Maybe there's something correctable and he comes back and gives them some OK innings. They've paid for his time and could easily do worse (well maybe not that easily. The As have a remarkable collection of worse options)

Yet another positive sign that the organization is willing to pull the band-aid on a veteran guy if it isn't working out. (To be fair, Kluber has been truly awful; it's a one-year deal; and the young guys have generally pitched well, so it isn't too tough a decision, at this point.)

The team should go Sale, Paxton, Bello, Houck, and Whitlock as long as those five are healthy. The real question is what the team does when one or more of those five inevitably get hurt. The three guys besides those five who have started a game for the Sox this year are Kluber, Pivetta, and Kutter Crawford. Crawford has been by far the most successful of the three this year, has the most upside of the three, and is the youngest. To me, it's a no-brainer: Crawford is the next man up if and when it's needed.

For 2023, beyond Crawford, there is nobody at AAA who would be ready (in the case of Shane Drohan, who just got promoted to AAA), or is pitching remotely well enough (Brandon Walter, Chris Murphy, or Bryan Mata) to supplant Kluber or Pivetta as the next option.

There is where the farm system is improving, but has not yet recovered from the Dombrowski years (not complaining - flags fly forever!). The guys drafted during the Bloom years have not yet gotten to the upper levels of the minors, and the guys drafted in the 2016-2019 range that weren't traded away are either up in the bigs already, or look like they aren't going to pan out.

Seems like the right move. They need to see what they have in the young arms, who are all performing better than Kluber anyway. They had to give him a certain amount of rope and this seems like about the right amount.

Unfortunately, he doesn't seem like the type of pitcher who will improve with a move the pen, so it's likely mop-up for now.

There really isn't such a thing as a mop-up man in modern baseball. Most likely Kluber will either agree to go down to AAA or be released within a week or two.

Maybe there's something correctable

At this point, he doesn't have a fastball to keep hitters honest, so when he throws strikes, it's BP. That's hard to correct.

Rockies today released Fernando Abad - looks like his 2017 in the BOS 'pen was - well, not bad.

37 years young. who says no?

Most likely Kluber will either agree to go down to AAA or be released within a week or two.

I think it's more likely that he pitches in relief, goes on the IL, or goes back in the rotation due to someone else going on the IL.

Players in his situation almost never agree to go down to AAA.

#7 They do however get released -- though this would be a minor embarrassment to the person who pushed for the signing.

If he's released he'll land somewhere. He's certainly worth a roster spot to somebody at major league minimum.

Yes, him being released is a real possibility. Although I will predict it does not happen in the next couple of weeks.

There really isn't such a thing as a mop-up man in modern baseball. Most likely Kluber will either agree to go down to AAA or be released within a week or two.

There are pitchers who pitch in high leverage and there are those who generally don't. I'm saying Kluber is in the latter group for now. This may just be a disagreement over semantics.

I also agree with Nate about him not agree to going to AAA--very unlikely. IL is an option--perhaps he'll develop the back tightness that has plagued Noah Song. As for him being released, it's possible, but I don't think teams like to cut bait that quickly. I'd say he has another month of whatever before that's considered. They aren't exactly blocking anyone important for their 13th pitcher spot.

#5 Could be. But last year he had pretty decent command of the strike zone and his stuff was ... adequate I guess. But right at the edge. Where he just couldn't afford to lose anything.

The correctable part here would be adjusting to the fact that he can no longer challenge hitters. It's possible he could have a few years as the good version of Ross Grimsley for instance. It's a tough way to make a living, but anybody who starts with good command (the worse walk rate this year is consistent with your take -- that he's overthrowing) has a chance.

I'd bet against it, but I'm genuinely surprised he's still around. I thought his career was over years ago.

Players in his situation almost never agree to go down to AAA.

Can anyone name a player in his position who has agreed? The issue for someone in Kluber's position, if I'm correctly remembering the rules, is that if he accepts then the team is under no obligation to call him back up. So he gets his full pay, but he's trapped in the minors. (I'm not certain, but I think outrighting him is necessary as they can't option him at his level of service time, and to do that takes him off the 40-man. That's even more significant with Kluber because at some point this season, I'm not certain when, he crosses the 10-year mark for service time and becomes fully vested in the player retirement benefits.)

#12 They have to offer him his release. I'm sure I've seen players accept a minor league assignment in this situation but I couldn't give a name. It'd have to be a situation where the team and the player agree that he needs time to sort things out.

It's pretty obvious that Kluber would accept his release. Somebody would want him. He's not much, but at a prorated major league minimum somebody can find a use for him.

Can anyone name a player in his position who has agreed?

Anibal Sanchez consented to bring optioned by the Tigers in 2017. He had already lost his rotation spot and wasn’t going anywhere in the pen, and was a pending free agent too. So I guess he agreed to go to AAA to get stretched out for starting again. Came back to MLB after 4 AAA starts and continued performing poorly, but did manage to stick in the MLB rotation the rest of the year. The following season was his bounce back with Atlanta.

Good call on Anibal Sanchez. Emphasis added here by me for what's likely an uncommon wrinkle:

The Tigers have optioned veteran righty Anibal Sanchez to Triple-A, manager Brad Ausmus told reporters including Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. Sanchez, who would’ve had the right to reject any minor-league assignment, will return to working as a starter at Toledo.

The move was driven by Sanchez himself, per Ausmus. He would like to return to working from the rotation after opening the year in the bullpen.

Speaking of Tigers, Kluber shares a birthday with Frank Lary. Both took a while to get going, had an extended stretch of dominance, and then fell apart completely in their early 30's.

It's pretty obvious that Kluber would accept his release. Somebody would want him. He's not much, but at a prorated major league minimum somebody can find a use for him.

I suppose the A's or Royals can find a use for someone with a 6.26 ERA and the fundamentals to match. Beyond that, the only teams that may find him genuinely useful on the mound are a good ways down the minors or in other countries.

As a major league pitcher, however, he is finished.

I suppose the A's or Royals can find a use for someone with a 6.26 ERA and the fundamentals to match. Beyond that, the only teams that may find him genuinely useful on the mound are a good ways down the minors or in other countries.

As a major league pitcher, however, he is finished.

You may be right but I'd be stunned if he didn't latch on elsewhere if the Sox released him. He's a two time Cy Young winner in the not too distant path. Someone would say \"####, let's give it a whirl." Hell, he was a good pitcher last year (ERA 4.34, FIP 3.57). With pitchers dropping like flies, he'd pick up somewhere. I'm not saying you are wrong that he'll still suck, just that I wouldn't expect Boston to be his final MLB stint.

For sure, I agree with you about that. I'm sure he will finish his career in Pittsburgh, where baseball careers traditionally go to die, or Oakland or Cincinnati or some such team that's going to lose most of their games anyway and likes the thought of having a player in their uniform the fans have heard of.

Sorry to be so late, thought I had posted this ... maybe it's in the wrong thread. Anyway, Kluber is already over 10 years service time per b-r (before the season ever started) so no pensions issues for him.

It's rare and none spring right to mind but I'm pretty sure there have been a few guys who've accepted the assignment. Now I guess that depends on what you mean by "Kluber's position" -- he's got over $70 M in career earnings, he might walk away completely or just wait at home to see if anybody expresses an interest.

I suspect we see it relatively often with "very old backup C." A guy like Pat Borders was always on somebody's AAA roster, would get called up in an emergency, then get DFA'd when the guy came off the IL and I suspect he'd often stick around with the team. So in 2003, Borders was mostly at Tacoma but caught games for the Ms in Apr, June, July, Aug then the Sept expanded roster. I'd think we'll see that sort of thing with old relievers too. I suppose that's different for a guy who started the year in the minors -- if Borders has already agreed to play in Tacoma, he's got an apartment there with a couple of suitcases and pots and pans, why look to move to Charlotte mid-season if you can just return to Tacoma? (No, I've never been to Tacoma and only a bit to Charlotte.)

Anyway, it's unlikely anybody will give Kluber a 26-man slot. And if he doesn't get a 26-man slot, there's no reason to give him a 40-man slot yet. So he'll get a deal from some team to make a few starts at AAA and then either call him up or release him. That is he'll be "trapped in the minors" no matter who he latches on with. So if Boston seems to offer the best way back to the majors, he might as well take the assignment at least as long as they'll agree to flat out release him when he wants it.