RHP Shane Bieber unanimously claims the 2020 American League Cy Young Award
CLEVELAND, OH – RHP SHANE BIEBER has been named the 2020 American League Cy Young Award recipient following tonight’s announcement by the Baseball Writers Association of America on MLB Network.
Bieber, 25, is the fifth and youngest pitcher in club history to capture the league’s most prestigious pitching honor. He recorded a historic season, going 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA in 12 starts (77.1IP, 46H, 14ER, 21BB, 122SO, .167), becoming the first pitcher since 2006 (Johan Santana) to win MLB's pitching Triple Crown, leading MLB in wins, strikeouts and ERA. He became just the ninth pitcher in MLB history to do so, the first in franchise history. Shane joined BOB FELLER (1940) as the only two pitchers in Cleveland history to record the American League Triple Crown.
His 122 strikeouts were also a club record over a pitchers first 12 starts and the sixth-most in MLB history (since 1900) over a similar span, the most since Arizona's Curt Schilling in 2002 (123). In addition to leading the AL in wins, strikeouts and ERA, he led the Junior Circuit in batting average allowed (.167), slugging pct. allowed (.265), SO per 9.0 IP (14.2) and was second in innings pitched (77.1). His 14.2 SO per 9.0 IP were also tops in club history among pitchers w/at least 75.0IP.
Some other statistical and historic highlights from his 2020 campaign
MOST STRIKEOUTS, FIRST 12 STARTS OF A SEASON
Pedro Martinez, BOS 1999 133
Randy Johnson, ARI 2000 131
Pedro Martinez, BOS 2001 131
Curt Schilling, ARI 2002 123
Randy Johnson, ARI 2001 123
Shane Bieber, CLE 2020 122
Since 1900 (Elias)
2020 MLB ERA LEADERS
Pitcher | ERA
1. Shane Bieber (CLE) 1.63
2. Trevor Bauer (CIN) 1.73
3. Dallas Keuchel (CWS) 1.99
4 Yu Darvish (CHC) 2.01
+ Cleveland went 10-2 in his starts. He worked at least 6.0 innings in 11 of 12 starts, yielding 3 runs-or-fewer in all 12.
+ Recorded double-digit strikeout games in eight starts, leading MLB. Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and Trevor Bauer were tied for 2nd with 5 such starts.
+ Bieber recorded 8-or-more strikeouts in all 12 starts, the longest streak to start a season in Cleveland history, surpassing Bob Feller’s 1946 club record (9 starts). Marked the second longest streak in MLB history to start a season behind Randy Johnson (15 GS) in 2000.
+ Reached the 100-strikeout mark in just 62.1 innings, the fastest by an MLB starting pitcher in the modern era. Surpassed Max Scherzer’s 2018 mark of 63.0 innings.
+ Recorded a historic performance in his first career Opening Day start on July 24 vs. Kansas City, striking out a club record 14 batters in 6.0 IP. He eclipsed Gary Bell’s previous record of 12 in 1960. Became just the fourth pitcher (fifth time) to record at least 14 strikeouts on Opening Day: Camilo Pascual (15, 1960), Randy Johnson (14, 1996/1993) and Don Drysdale (14, 1960).
+ Over his last 25 MLB starts dating back to 7/24/2019, he is 14-6 with a 2.21 ERA (167.1IP, 130H, 41ER, 33BB, 225SO).
+ His 1.25 ERA thru his first eight starts was the third-lowest mark in club history (1913 Cy Falkenberg, 1.14; 1968 Luis Tiant, 1.11).