Every game remaining of the Cleveland Guardians’ schedule is a must-win at this point as they look to win the AL Central for the third consecutive year. They have won six in a row and have a one-game lead over the Chicago White Sox and will look to keep that momentum going with two more against the Boston Red Sox before finishing the regular season with a three-game set at the Kansas City Royals.
The pitching has been lights out during this recent stretch, and there are a lot of people in the facility who deserve credit for that. One of the new executives behind the scenes has certainly been having an impact in his current role, so much so that the team is reportedly set to bring him back next year.
Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes wrote about a number of topics in his recent article, one of which was former two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and his role as special assistant to Cleveland’s baseball ops department. Hoynes said that it is expected Kluber will return for a third season in his current role in 2027.
“Corey Kluber is expected to return next season as a special assistant to the Guardians’ baseball operations department. It will be his third season in the role. Kluber, who won two Cy Young awards while pitching for Cleveland, was in uniform and at Fenway Park on Tuesday. Kluber works with Guardians pitchers from the minors to the big leagues,” Hoynes wrote.
The development of young pitchers such as Gavin Williams, Joey Cantillo, Parker Messick, and Cade Smith has been arguably the big reason why this team has continued to win consistently over the past few years. We will never know how much of a role Kluber played in that, but if he is working with pitchers all throughout the organization, what better role model for these young talents to have than someone like Kluber?
This is a no-brainer. It’s great to have him back in the organization in any capacity, and it’s sounding like he could be building a solid foundation to eventually grow into a larger front office role, or perhaps a role as a pitching coach.
He is one of the best pitchers this franchise has ever had, and hopefully this is the beginning of a long and fruitful second chapter as an executive. He is a brilliant pitching mind and all these young pitchers have surely benefited from him being around the team every day.
NEXT: Guardians Activate Key Reliever From Injured List
