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Cleveland Indians: Trevor Bauer Has Turned the Corner

By Benno Martens

Jun 11, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (47) in the second inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 11, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (47) in the second inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Indians are in first place due in large part to the strength of their pitching staff, and Trevor Bauer is a big reason why. Has the right-hander finally put it all together?

Wednesday was a historic day in Cleveland, and I’m not talking about the epic parade and rally held for the NBA Champion Cavaliers. A 6-1 defeat of the Tampa Bay Rays by the Indians at Progressive Field capped off the first month in franchise history that the team went undefeated at  its home ballpark.

The Tribe went a perfect 11-0 at home in June, and it was fitting that the last of those wins was delivered by the man that started the streak: Trevor Bauer. Long a mystery wrapped in an enigma, the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 draft out of UCLA, who made his way to Cleveland in the Shin-Soo Choo trade, has confounded coaches and fans alike in parts of four big league seasons. While the stuff has always been evident, the question for Bauer has always been if he could get out of his own head long enough to use it.

The answer thus far in 2016 has been an emphatic yes, and it’s hard to figure the Indians would be perched atop the American League Central without that happening. After a strong spring that saw a sharp spike in velocity, Bauer nevertheless lost out to Cody Anderson for the fifth starter spot and began the season in the bullpen.

But a hamstring injury suffered by Carlos Carrasco on April 24th propelled him back into the starting rotation, and he has responded in a big way. After Wednesday’s complete game in which he yielded just one run on three hits while striking out 10 and walking only one, Bauer has tallied six consecutive quality starts covering 44.2 innings. During that stretch, his earned run average has been just 2.22, and has allowed a meager 11 walks and one home run.

In five June starts, each of which has lasted at least seven innings, that ERA plunges to 1.67. The Tribe is 4-1 in those outings, with the lone defeat coming in walk-off fashion against the Angels in Anaheim on June 11th.

“He’s been so consistent,” Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona said after Wednesday’s game. “He’s pounding the strike zone with really good stuff, changing speeds. It’s been really fun to watch.”

Consistency has been Bauer’s achilles heel thus far in his pro career. Each of the last two seasons, he has finished up with his ERA and FIP over four, an ERA+ under 100, and a total of 3.0 bWAR. In 2015, his 79 walks allowed led the league.

This season he is 5-2 with an ERA of 3.20, an FIP of 3.28, an ERA+ of 142, and 2.5 bWAR in 84.1 total innings of work. As a starter, the numbers look even better, with a 2.96 ERA in 73 innings. Among qualified pitchers in the AL, Bauer currently ranks ninth in ERA and fourth in FIP.

So what’s brought on this turnaround? There are a few factors worth mentioning.

Next: Ease up on the gas.

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