page_title: Corey Kluber
section_title: 2011−13 seasons: Early career
hierarchical_section_title: Corey Kluber / Professional career / Cleveland Indians / 2011−13 seasons: Early career
caption_attribution_description: Corey Kluber
context_page_description: Corey Scott Kluber, nicknamed Klubot, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball. He made his MLB debut in 2011, as a member of the Cleveland Indians. A power pitcher, Kluber achieves high strikeout rates through a two-seam sinker and a breaking ball that variously resembles a slider and a curveball.
  A three-time MLB All-Star, Kluber is a two-time winner of the Cy Young Award in the American League including in 2014, his second full season in the major leagues, and in 2017. In 2016, he was named the Sporting News AL Starting Pitcher of the Year. He led the major leagues in earned run average in 2017, and has twice led the AL in wins. On May 13, 2015, Kluber became one of 20 pitchers in major league history to strike out at least 18 batters in a nine-inning game, doing so versus the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2018, Kluber notched his first 20-win season.
  A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Kluber played high school baseball for Coppell High School in Coppell, Texas.
context_section_description: The Padres traded Kluber to the Cleveland Indians on July 31, 2010, in a three-team trade also involving the St. Louis Cardinals. Cleveland sent Jake Westbrook to the Cardinals and Ryan Ludwick to the Padres. The Padres sent Nick Greenwood to the Cardinals, and the Indians paid $2.7 million of Westbrook's remaining salary. At the time of the trade, Kluber's minor league record was 18–24, and he was not ranked among the top thirty prospects in the Padres' farm system. The Indians assigned Kluber to the Akron Aeros of the Class AA Eastern League. After the 2010 season, he took part in the Indians' Winter Development Program. He was added to the Indians' 40-man roster after the season.
  Kluber played for the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League in 2011, pitching to a 7–11 win–loss record and a 5.56 ERA. The Indians called him up on September 1, 2011, and made his major league debut that day. During a rain-induced bullpen session in May 2012, at the recommendation of Columbus pitching coach Ruben Niebla, Kluber first threw his two-seam fastball. Kluber was brought up from Columbus in August 2012 to replace starting pitcher Josh Tomlin in the Indians' rotation. Tomlin was moved to the bullpen.
  Kluber began the 2013 season with Columbus, but received a promotion when Brett Myers suffered an elbow injury. On June 16, 2013, Kluber threw eight shutout innings in a 2–0 victory over the Washington Nationals.  He co-won the American League Player of the Week Award for the week ending June 16, 2013, sharing the honor with teammate Jason Kipnis. On September 22, 2013, Kluber became the first pitcher to strike out 14 batters in consecutive starts since Randy Johnson in 2004. He finished the season with an 11–5 record and a 3.85 ERA.
caption: Kluber pitching for the Cleveland Indians in 2013
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