Indians' Kluber to make 3rd straight Opening Day start

The Klu-Bot is ready to power up for 2017.

Former Cy Young winner Corey Kluber was confirmed as the Cleveland Indians' Opening Day starter when the reigning American League champions travel to Arlington to open their pennant defense against the Texas Rangers on April 3.

There had been some thought about turning to another of their talented arms on Opening Day to give the 30-year-old some rest after last year's extended run into October, but a solid spring performance trumped rest and earned Kluber the nod for a third consecutive year.

"There's no doubt in his mind he's pitching Opening Day," manager Terry Francona told Jordan Bastian of MLB.com on Friday. "That's good enough for me."

Kluber has been a workhorse for the Indians of late, surpassing the 200-inning mark in each of the last three seasons. His brilliance in 2016 continued into October, where he put the team on his back and made multiple starts on three days' rest during the Indians' run to the AL pennant, but appeared to finally run out of gas in Game 7 of the World Series.

All told, he threw 249 1/3 total innings in 2016.

With the increased workload and shortened offseason in mind, the team and Kluber worked to develop a plan for spring training that had the 30-year-old slowly ease into his routine, with a late entry into game action. It seems to have worked for Kluber, as he's struck out 22 batters to just five walks in 18 1/3 spring innings despite an inflated ERA of 5.40, while also leaving him on track to start Opening Day.

Kluber is coming off his first All-Star season in 2016 that saw him post a 3.14 ERA, 1.056 WHIP, 227 strikeouts, and an AL-best two shutouts over 215 regular-season innings. He finished third in Cy Young voting, and according to Bastian became only the fourth pitcher in Indians history to pitch over 200 innings and strike out over 200 batters in three straight seasons.