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MLB Awards Watch: Cy Young races

By Nicholas Ian Allen

June 6, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
June 6, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 24, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber (28) throws a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber (28) throws a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians

Another former AL Cy Young Award winner with a strong case for trophy No. 2 is Cleveland starter Corey Kluber. Like Keuchel, Kluber has spent time on the disabled list and has been limited to just 11 starts, but the right-hander has excellent numbers and they have gotten better and better throughout the season.

Kluber is 6-2 with a 3.24 ERA across 72.1 innings. Opponents are hitting just .213 against him and Kluber has a 1.05 WHIP. He has struck out 93 of the 287 hitters he’s faced, giving him a 32.4 percent strikeout rate that ranks third in the majors among pitchers with at least 70 innings pitched.

Kluber’s strikeout totals are on the rise, as well. He has struck out 10 or more hitters in five starts, all of them coming in his last eight appearances, including four of his last five starts and three in a row. In his most recent outing against the first-place Twins, Kluber set a season high with 13 K’s in just seven innings. He has also posted a career high 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

The 31-year-old started slow this season. He was roughed up in each of his first three starts, and when he took the mound April 21, he had a 6.38 ERA. However, Kluber responded with the first of his two shutouts that day, when he allowed three hits and two walks while striking out nine White Sox. The second came June 19, when he struck out 11 Orioles while allowing just three hits without a walk.

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