PORTLAND, Sea Dogs — Red Sox righty Corey Kluber fired two scoreless innings for Double-A Portland in his first rehab outing Friday.
“I thought it was a good first step,” Kluber said. “Not perfect. But all in all, I was happy with the way I commanded the ball.”
Kluber, who has been on the 15-day injured list since June 21 with right shoulder inflammation, has struggled with his command this season. He said he didn’t identify anything specific mechanically while he was on the IL.
“I think maybe it was a little bit of battling through some stuff but it was kind of without me realizing it,” Kluber said. “Altering the way I was throwing, things like that, which trying to figure things out on the fly (is) a little bit tougher. I think more than anything it was just getting things feeling well, being able to go out there and kind of move the way I like to move or I’m able to.”
Did the pain affect the way he pitched? The 37-year-old two-time Cy Young winner has allowed 3.4 walks per nine innings this season after leading the league in fewest walks per nine innings (1.2) last year.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to use it as an excuse,” Kluber said. “I feel like if you’re good enough to take the ball, I feel like I should be able to figure it out.”
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Kluber followed opener Joe Jones. He threw a perfect second inning on 13 pitches (eight strikes). He got a flyout to left field, groundout to first base and strikeout swinging.
Kluber pitched a scoreless third inning (22 pitches, 14 strikes) and allowed one infield single. He recorded outs on a soft pop-up to third base, flyout to right field and groundout to shortstop.
Kluber served as Boston’s Opening Day starter but he received a demotion to the bullpen after posting a 6.26 ERA in nine starts. He struggled even more out of the bullpen with a 9.45 ERA (13 ⅓ innings, 14 earned runs) in six outings.
The Red Sox starting rotation is down to just three starters (and two openers) right now because of injuries. Tanner Houck (facial fracture), Chris Sale (stress reaction in the scapula bone) and Garrett Whitlock (right elbow inflammation) are on the IL.
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Kluber and the Red Sox haven’t discussed the way he will be used when he returns, he said. Because of the injuries to the starting staff, Kluber could be used in a similar way to how the Red Sox have used Nick Pivetta (as a bulk reliever following a starter). It’s also possible he could be used as a starter until others return from injuries.
“I think that’s getting ahead of ourselves,” Kluber said. “I’m really just trying to get back to being healthy and trying to be a part of the team and contribute. That’s where my mind is at right now, not on what role it’s going to be or anything like that.”
