Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber put together an excellent 2019 season that included winning the All-Star Game MVP, and it appears that he’s taking things to another level in 2020.
Bieber shut down the Minnesota Twins’ powerful lineup with eight scoreless innings, three hits (all singles), zero runs, zero walks, and 13 strikeouts in Cleveland’s 2-0 victory on Thursday night at Target Field. The right-hander was as nasty as the box score would suggest, befuddling Twins hitters with filthy breaking balls and terrific fastball command.
Shane Bieber has 27 strikeouts through his first two starts, tying the Major League record.
Unhittable.#OurTribe pic.twitter.com/PxlQB03j4C
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 31, 2020
Shane Bieber, Ankle Breaking Curveballs.
This man is complete filth. pic.twitter.com/8JmgiDNy1A
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 30, 2020
Through 14 innings over two starts, Bieber has given up seven hits, zero extra-base hits, zero runs, and has struck out 27 batters while walking just one. The 27 strikeouts through his first two appearances of the season tie an MLB record.
After notching 14 K's in his 1st start of the season, Indians P Shane Bieber had 13 K's tonight against the Twins.
His 27 K's this season are tied with Karl Spooner in 1954 for the most in a player's first 2 appearances of the season since the mound was moved to 60'6" in 1893. pic.twitter.com/RvI1Y2IK2z
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 31, 2020
Shane Bieber has faced 50 batters in two starts this season. He has struck out 27 of them, walking just 1.
That is a 54 K% and a 2 BB%.
Bieber has a -0.36 FIP. He has not allowed a run.
— Devan Fink (@DevanFink) July 31, 2020
Bieber, 25, put together a 3.28 ERA, 3.32 FIP, and had a strikeout/walk percentage of 25.5 that ranked fifth in MLB in 2019. And he’s only getting better.
In this tiny 2020 season and with how his game is trending, we should already consider Bieber the AL Cy Young favorite.