American League Cy Young: Corey Kluber, starting pitcher, Cleveland Indians
Other starters in the American League have questions. How will Chris Sale handle the pressure cooker that is the Boston market? Is Rick Porcello a great pitcher, or is he a good pitcher that had a great year in 2016? Can Dallas Keuchel bounce back? Is Justin Verlander a year too old? Would the voters vote for a reliever like Zach Britton?
No such questions exist with Kluber. Over the last three seasons, Kluber has emerged as the most reliable starter in the junior circuit.
Few have done it better than Corey Kluber over the last three seasons. pic.twitter.com/FW7NNj5yWN
— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) March 10, 2017
The alarmists out there may look at his strikeout rates and note that they’ve steadily declined, which is true. But consider a couple things.
One, even in the strikeout-heavy era that we’re in right now, a starting pitcher striking out more than one hitter per inning is still fantastic. Kluber isn’t close to dropping below that rate.
Two, his walk rates are exceptional for anyone, especially a strikeout pitcher. What that means is that Kluber knows how to pitch. The shut-down stuff is great, but Kluber is also not going to hurt himself by putting men on for free. Power pitchers frequently crash to earth hard when they can’t strike hitters out at the same rate that they once did. Kluber’s control will make that transition much easier.
Look for Kluber to have a good year while fronting one of the American League’s best starting rotations. Also, expect him to add another Cy Young Award to his mantle when the season is over.