Kluber to have MRI after hurting groin in start

DETROIT — Corey Kluber stood off to the side in the visitors’ clubhouse at Comerica Park, goggles on and soaked in champagne. The Indians’ ace has watched his team overcome an assortment of obstacles this season, but none stopped Cleveland from capturing an American League Central title.

In the Tribe’s division-clinching 7-4 win over the Tigers on Monday night, the latest hurdle involved Kluber. The leader of Cleveland’s rotation, which has already absorbed the losses of Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco, exited after four innings as a precaution due to tightness in his right groin.

As Kluber watched the party rage on, he declined to discuss the injury. The pitcher did agree to talk about how, once again, Cleveland won in the face of adversity.

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“I think it’s a testament to the kind of guys we have in here,” Kluber said. “Different people said different things about us throughout the course of the year, but I think the guys in here never stopped believing, and I think that’s really important.”

Cleveland can ill-afford to lose Kluber at the moment, given that the team is already down two starters. Kluber currently leads a starting staff that features Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin and Mike Clevinger. Cleveland does not currently have a fifth starter. Salazar (right forearm) might …

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