Corey Kluber set to make spring debut Monday

Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Gene J. Puskar/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Gene J. Puskar/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Indians are easing Corey Kluber into the 2017 season, but he will make his long-awaited debut on Monday to begin his season.

The Cleveland Indians began the spring training slate of games at the end of February, but one player has been absent from all the fun thus far.

Corey Kluber has yet to pitch in a game, but that will change Monday when he makes his 2017 debut.

(The above tweet was from Saturday, so ignore the “tomorrow” for Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw, as they are pitching today).

There is no need to rush Kluber into action, and it is not as if he has just been sitting around doing nothing. Someone with his experience is able to work through simulated games and get his work in, while other younger pitchers may need to face other teams to get back into the groove of the season.

But the main reason Kluber is being eased into action is because of how much he pitched in the postseason. His 34.1 innings of work in the 2016 postseason helped the Indians reach Game 7 of the World Series, but it also meant he threw nearly 250 innings for the entire year.

Rushing him back at the beginning of spring training would have only jeopardized his health for the 2017 season, which cannot be done. Even with a healthy rotation, Kluber is the ace that remains the most reliable member of the group.

The next question is whether or not he will start the first game of the season, but there is no reason to believe he won’t be ready. That may be the case if he was working back from an injury, but he is simply starting his season a bit later than everyone else. He has a month to prepare, so expect to see him on the mound in Texas on April 3 when the 2017 regular season begins.

Next: No room on final roster for Colabello

He may get some rest days throughout the year, but don’t expect any regression from the ace in 2017.

Schedule