Cy Young Profile: Corey Kluber, 2014

Pitcher, Cleveland Indians

Age:  28 (April 10) 

3^rd season with Indians

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’4”    Weight: 215

Prior to 2014:

An Alabama native, Kluber grew up in Coppell, Texas where he was a two-time all-district pitcher. Having suffered a stress fracture in his elbow, he went undrafted by major league teams. Moving on to Stetson University, he had an impressive junior year in 2007 when he was 12-2 with a 2.05 ERA and 177 strikeouts. Kluber was selected by the San Diego Padres in the fourth round of the 2007 amateur draft. Initially assigned to the Eugene Emeralds of the Class A Northwest League, he went 1-1 in 10 appearances, seven of them starts, with a 3.51 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 33.1 innings. With two teams at the Class A level in 2008 he compiled a combined tally of 6-8 with a 4.90 ERA and 147 strikeouts over 141.1 innings. Pitching in Class AA in 2010 he was a throw-in in a three-team trade-deadline deal that landed him with the Indians. For the year, with three minor league clubs, he was 9-9 with a 3.49 ERA and 165 strikeouts. He finished 2010 in Class AAA with the Columbus Clippers of the International League, who he stayed with in 2011. He switched from a four-seam to a two-seam fastball, with which he had a natural sinking movement. For the year he went 7-11 with a 5.56 ERA and 143 strikeouts while starting 27 games. Kluber received a September call-up to the Indians which produced no decisions in three relief appearances. Once again with Columbus in 2012, he was 11-7 with a 3.59 ERA when he was called up by the Indians in August and placed in the starting rotation. In 12 starts he produced a 2-5 record and a 5.14 ERA. Kluber started the 2013 season with Columbus and returned to the Indians. Bolstered by adding a sinker to his repertoire, he had a solid year, despite missing much of August due to a finger injury, in which he went 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 147.1 innings pitched., Kluber was part of the rotation from the beginning of the season in 2014. Having advanced from a lightly regarded prospect to a major league starting pitcher was a testament to his outstanding work ethic and determination, as well as his burgeoning talent.

2014 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

P – 34, PH – 1, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 34

Games Started – 34 [1, tied with six others]

Complete Games – 3 [2, tied with David Price, Rick Porcello & Masahiro Tanaka]

Wins – 18 [1, tied with Jered Weaver & Max Scherzer]

Losses – 9

PCT - .667 [7, tied with Jered Weaver]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1 [5, tied with 21 others]

Innings Pitched – 235.2 [3]

Hits – 207 [9]

Runs – 72

Earned Runs – 64

Home Runs – 14

Bases on Balls – 51

Strikeouts – 269 [2]

ERA – 2.44 [3]

Hit Batters – 6

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

Midseason Snapshot: 9-6, ERA - 3.01, SO - 142 in 131.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 14 (in 7 IP) at Houston 9/16, (in 8 IP) at Minnesota 9/21

10+ strikeout games – 11

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Kansas City 7/24

Batting

PA – 6, AB – 5, R – 0, H – 1, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 2, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .200, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 31

Put Outs – 14

Assists – 17

Errors – 0

DP – 1

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

11^th in AL MVP voting (45 points, 11% share)

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Corey Kluber, Clev.: 169 pts. – 17 of 30 first place votes, 80% share

Felix Hernandez, Sea.: 159 pts. – 13 first place votes, 76% share

Chris Sale, ChiWS.: 78 pts. – 37% share

Jon Lester, Bos./Oak.: 46 pts. – 22% share

Max Scherzer, Det.: 32 pts. – 15% share

 

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Indians went 85-77 to finish third in the AL Central Division, 5 games behind the division-winning Detroit Tigers. The pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (1450). The slow-starting Indians were 47-47 in the season’s first half and made a push to challenge for a spot in the postseason that came up short.

Aftermath of ‘14:

Kluber got off to an 0-5 start in 2015 prior to an 18-strikeout performance against the Cardinals in May in which he gave up only one hit over eight innings. Effective the rest of the way although often receiving inadequate run support, Kluber finished at 9-16 and a 3.49 ERA with 245 strikeouts. Cleveland topped the AL Central in 2016 and went on to win the league pennant, and Kluber, who was an All-Star for the first time, contributed an 18-9 record with a 3.14 ERA and 227 strikeouts. He went 4-1 in the postseason, although he faltered when pitching on short rest in Game 7 of the World Series against the Cubs, which the Indians lost in extra innings. In 2017, despite missing time due to a lower back strain, Kluber went on to win his second AL Cy Young Award, posting an 18-4 tally with a league-leading 2.25 ERA and 265 strikeouts. The Indians again won the division, but Kluber was hit hard in two starts against the Yankees in the ALDS. The pitcher known as “Klubot” (for his serious and stoical nature) followed up with another strong season in 2018, in which he went 20-7 with a 2.89 ERA and 222 strikeouts. He also led the AL with 215 innings pitched and was one of four pitchers to top the circuit with two complete games, and one of eleven with a league-best one shutout, and he placed third in league Cy Young voting. On May 1, 2019, Kluber suffered a broken right arm when struck by a line drive in a game against the Miami Marlins. He was unable to return that year and was traded to the Texas Rangers in the offseason. He pitched only one inning for the Rangers in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season due to a torn shoulder muscle. The New York Yankees, anticipating a return to good form, signed him for 2021. He pitched a no-hitter against the Rangers in May. As of the 2021 All-Star break Kluber has a lifetime major league pitching record of 102-61 with a 3.15 ERA, 18 complete games, 8 shutouts, and 1517 strikeouts over 1396 innings. He has been a three-time All-Star in addition to winning two Cy Young Awards.

 

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.