ARLINGTON, Texas — Rangers right-hander Corey Kluber left his first start in almost 15 months after just one inning Sunday because of shoulder tightness.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner was making his first appearance for a team other than Cleveland after an offseason trade. He threw 18 pitches while facing three batters. Colorado’s Trevor Story walked and was thrown out trying to steal.
The Rangers said Kluber reported feeling the tightness in the first few pitches and it got worse as the inning progressed. He was examined by a team doctor and will be further evaluated Monday.
Kluber, 34, was knocked out of his final start for the Indians on May 1, 2019, breaking his right forearm when he was hit by a comeback liner. He was close to returning when he suffered an oblique injury during a rehab start last August.
Going into the 2019 season, Kluber was on a five-season stretch as one of baseball’s best pitchers. He was a 20-game winner in 2018, and the AL Cy Young Award winner in 2014 and 2017. The three-time All-Star threw at least 203 innings with 222 strikeouts or more each season.