Corey Kluber to miss at least two months with shoulder strain

One of the brighter spots of the Yankees’ 2021 season has been the play of Corey Kluber. Signed by the Yankees as a bit of a reclamation project after a few years of decline from his seasons as one of the best pitchers in baseball, Kluber had been quite good for New York including recently throwing a no-hitter and posting 1.0 rWAR in 10 starts with a 3.04 ERA and striking out 55 batters in 53.1 innings.

Unfortunately, his comeback with New York hit a snag as he was pulled from his most recent start against the Blue Jays in the third inning with what was described as a shoulder issue.

As it turns out, that issue is going to keep him out for a while.

At this stage in his career, any injury is a big deal and its especially true of an older guy operating on a one year deal. There is also no certainty at all that the August estimate that is out there is going to hold as setbacks can and do happen with these sorts of injuries.

For the moment, though, the biggest question is what the Yankees’ rotation is going to look like going forward and the depth at starting pitcher is an open question.