Red Sox

Report: Corey Kluber will be the Red Sox’ Opening Day starter

Kluber, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is 0-4 in opening day games

Red Sox pitcher Corey Kluber (right) smiles as he walks and talks with Pedro Martinez (left). Jim Davis / Globe Staff

March 15, 2023

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The Red Sox have named Corey Kluber as their Opening Day starter, according to Pete Abraham, of The Boston Globe.

Kluber, a two-time Cy Young Award winner and three-time All-Star, will take the mound on March 30 when the Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles.

For the past five years, Boston has started either Nathan Eovaldi or Chris Sale on Opening Day.

Eovaldi left in December, signing a two-year $34 million contract with the Rangers. Red Sox manager Alex Cora told Sale “a while ago” that he wouldn’t be named the Opening Day starter.

“You can write that one down. He’s not [going to start Opening Day],” Cora said on Sunday. “I want him to enjoy [Opening Day] as a regular baseball player. Just the whole Opening Day thing. Wherever he pitches in the rotation is where he’ll pitch in the rotation.”

Sale said he appreciated Cora telling him in advance, but acknowledged that not getting to play on Opening Day is like “Christmas with no toys.”

The Red Sox signed Kluber to a one-year, $10 million deal in January. He is 0-4 over five career opening day starts. He went 10-10 last season with a 4.34 ERA as a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Last season was Kluber’s first healthy season since his most recent Cy Young win in 2018. He started more games last season than he did from 2019 to 2021, with stops at different teams every season during that stretch.