They just need right-hander Corey Kluber to be fully recovered from a broken right forearm and strained oblique muscle that sidelined him for most of 2019. ?luber was on the 15-day DL from August 6-September 6 with a right long finger sprain suffered in 8th inning of start vs. Detroit on August 5 (7.1IP, 6H, 0R)...Was activated from the 15-day DL on September 7 and earned the win in 4 of his 5 starts after his activation (Tribe was 5-0 in those starts), going 4-0 w/a 5.33 ERA in those outings (25.1IP, 33H, 15R/ER)...Did not lose a decision after loss at Baltimore on June 27 (14GS) and won his last 5 decisions after July 12. Kluber suffered a broken arm when he was struck by a 102-mph line drive in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game. Two-time AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber could be done for the season after only one inning for the Texas Rangers.
His July 30 shutout vs. Seattle (9.0IP , 3H, 0R, 0BB, 8K , 28 BF , 85 pitches) was the first of his career...Coupled with previous July 24 start at K C (took p erfect game into 20th hitter, ND, 9.0IP , 2H, 1R/0E R, 0BB, 10K, 28 BP), he became the first pitcher to toss 9.0IP and face no more than one batter over the minimum in consecutive starts since Jim Scott of the 1914 W hite Sox (6.1 perfect IP on 7/?ent most of the season in the Cleveland rotation and established himself as a solid contributor to the starting five, going 11-5 with a 3.85 ERA in 26 games/24 starts and did not post a losing decision over his final 12 starts, winning a career-best five straight decisions to end the season...Started the year in Columbus after his option to Triple-A out of spring training...Was with the Indians for one stint, April 10-11, but did not pitch before being recalled a second and final time on April 17 and was inserted into the rotation when Brett Myers was injured for what would be the remainder of the season....Worked in relief for two outings with Cleveland, April 17 & 20, and allowed just 1ER in 5.0IP (1.80ERA). Cy Young voting behind Rick Porcello and Justin Verlander... Named starting pitcher on the Sporting News American League All-Star team...Really hit his stride in early July, going 10-1 with a 2.41 ERA over his final 15 starts (101.0IP, 78H, 27ER, 30BB, 113SO, .213avg) from July 8 thru the end of the season and won a career-best 7 straight decisions from July 8-August 21 (10GS, all quality)… Was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for August after going 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA (11ER/40.2IP) in six starts...Marked the second time in his career to earn Pitcher of the Month honors, as he also received the award in September of 2014...Went 9-1 with a 2.52 ERA in 14 second half starts (93.0IP, 73H, 26ER), the third-lowest ERA in the A.L.
Posted his first career complete game on April 24 vs. ..ansas City (9.0IP, 4H, 1R..0ER, 0BB, 11SO), the first 0BB..11.. CG by a Tribe hurler since Tom Candiotti (10..1..86) and the first 0BB/11K CG/0 ER complete game since Len Barker's 1981 perfect game...Had two other comp lete games (July 30 vs. SEA; Sept. 6 vs. CWS) with 0 ER and 8+ strikeouts - most by an Indians p itcher since Len Barker also notched 3 such performances in 1981. According to Elias he became just the 4th pitcher in baseball's Modern Era (since 1900) to win each of his final 5 starts in a season while recording 50+ K 's in that sp an, joining Herb Score (CLE , 1956), Nolan Ryan (1973, CAL) and Randy Johnson (1998, HOU) ... 18 victories are most by an Indians hurler since Cliff Lee went 22-3 in his 2008 A.L. & second-lowest in MLB this season...Kluber's 1.81 ERA at home was the lowest home mark by an Indians pitcher (min. Kluber was removed from his start on Sunday versus Colorado after only one inning while experiencing tightness behind his right shoulder. Kluber was removed from the game after one inning.