DETROIT -- Corey Kluber (14-4, 2.56 ERA) was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for August on Sunday. It is his second such honor this season, as he won it in June as well. The Indians' ace went 5-1 with a 1.96 ERA in August, one of just four pitchers in all of baseball to win five games in the month.
Kluber's 1.96 ERA was second to only the Cubs' Jacob Arrieta (1.21) among pitchers to make at least five starts. Arrieta was named the National League Pitcher of the Month.
Kluber said one of the biggest factors of his recent success has been his ability to attack the strike zone.
"The biggest thing is going out there and pounding the strike zone, keeping the pressure on their hitters," Kluber said. "Not giving them any free passes, just throwing strikes and moving the ball around the zone."
Kluber has not only been pounding the strike zone, but he's also been missing bats at a high rate. That was apparent in his 9.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio, as well as his 10.57 K/9 rate in August.
Kluber's dominant month coincided with a very successful August for the Indians, who went 19-9 to distance themselves from the pack in the AL Central. Kluber said he has been taking a similar approach as the rest of the team during the sustained run, with the mantra: "just do your job."
"We keep it going by just showing up and working and doing the same things that we've been doing," Kluber said. "You can't just roll out of bed and show up and play a game. And I think we've done a good job of that. We're still doing the little things that win games."