Yankees chase Indians ace Corey Kluber in less than three innings in ALDS Game 2
Not that we needed a reminder, but the Baseball Gods provided us with one regarding just how unpredictable baseball can be in Progressive Field Friday evening.
One night after being completely shut down by Trevor Bauer, the Yankees chased the American League's best pitcher, Corey Kluber, in the third inning.
Crazy, right?
Kluber lasted just 2 2/3 innings in Game 2 of the ALDS (GameTracker), allowing six runs on seven hits. He struggled with command pretty much from the get-go.
Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning:
In the top of the third, Aaron Hicks would go yard for a three-run bomb.
No shortage of offense in Game 2 on MLB Network! #ALDS
Visit https://t.co/tmrbR6Aud6 for channel info. pic.twitter.com/3J6IMTzaQm — MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 6, 2017
That would be it for Kluber.
There aren't many other ways to approach this than to say Kluber was shelled. We know about the dominant postseason history, so it's not like anyone would be stupid enough to put some ignorant "choker" label on him. He simply didn't have his best stuff and got crushed by a good offense. It happens.
It doesn't, however, often happen to Kluber at all. He allowed at least five earned runs three times this season, but none after May 2. In fact, he never allowed more than three earned runs after May 2 this season.
In Kluber's entire career, he has given up at least five runs while pitching no more than four innings just six times.
Remember, in this one he didn't complete three innings while giving up six earned runs. Previously, that had never happened in Kluber's entire career. Not one time in his 163 regular-season starts or six postseason starts. Hell, he only gave up seven earned runs all last postseason and that came in 34 1/3 innings with four of those runs coming in Game 7 of the World Series when he wsa clearly out of gas.
All things considered, the Yankees just handed Kluber the worst outing of his career.
As noted, with the Yankees having been shut down by Bauer in Game 1, this was about as unpredictable a result as anyone could have possibly fathomed. That's why we watch the MLB playoffs and this is only the sixth game of many.