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Cleveland Indians: Corey Kluber Is the Most Important Player on the Roster

By Matt Weyrich

Sep 6, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) delivers in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 6, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber (28) delivers in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cleveland Indians have endured a few late-season injuries that have hurt their chances of going deep into the postseason. Cleveland can still make a run at the World Series, but they’re going to need Corey Kluber at his best in order to do it.

Entering September, it seemed as if nothing was going to get in the way of the Indians once they reached the postseason. Riding what was almost certainly the best starting rotation in the American League, Cleveland was poised to be one of the most feared opponents in the race for the Junior Circuit pennant.

On September 9th, that all began to change. No. 2 starter Danny Salazar left his start with a sore forearm. An MRI revealed a strain that would keep him off the field for the next three-to-four weeks. Eight days later, No. 3 starter Carlos Carrasco was hit in the hand by a comebacker, forcing an early exit. The ball broke Carrasco’s finger, ending his 2016 season.

Yan Gomes broke his wrist during a rehab start and Michael Brantley is not going to be coming back anytime soon. While the team is still in line to clinch the AL Central, there is a cloud of uncertainty surrounding their championship hopes.

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The back end of Cleveland’s rotation has a few questions marks, and while Salazar may be able to return depending on how far the Indians go into October, they still need to fill in for him in the meantime. Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer have put on strong performances at times, but neither has been able to be reliably consistent. At the top of their rotation, however, Corey Kluber is exactly the rock that this team needs.

Kluber, who boasts a 3.11 ERA and 9.6 K/9 in 211 innings this season, has been the team’s ace all year. He has tossed three complete games, including two shutouts, while leading the American League in strikeouts. In big games, there is no one other than Kluber that the Indians want standing on the mound. Now more than ever, Cleveland needs him to step up and carry them through the playoffs.

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With all the uncertainty behind him in the rotation, Kluber is the most important player the Indians have on their roster. If he can deliver two quality starts a series this postseason, there is no limit as to how far Cleveland can go. Their offense is certainly good enough to pick up some of the slack for the rest of the starters, but if the Indians are going to contend for a championship, the weight rests on Corey Kluber’s shoulders.

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