SEATTLE -- In 2014, Corey Kluber edged Felix Hernandez for the American League's Cy Young Award.
Since then, the careers of the two 31-year-old right-handers have taken different paths. That was strikingly evident last year, when Cleveland's Kluber earned his second Cy Young while Hernandez, the longtime Seattle ace, battled injuries and pitched fewer than 100 innings.
They'll face off again Thursday, when the Mariners host the Indians to open the season.
There was little doubt Kluber would start after going 18-4 last year with a major league-leading 2.25 ERA.
"I just told him in the first one-on-one (meeting of the spring)," Indians manager Terry Francona told MLB.