At 25 years old, Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber is an All-Star Most Valuable Player (MVP) and it might not be too early to call him an “ace” — and he is only getting better.
“When I say he makes the glass look half full, that would be the biggest understatement,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He’s really something.”
Bieber on Friday struck out 14 batters over six scoreless innings as the Indians — making a statement for minorities by wearing their road jerseys with “Cleveland” on the front — took off on a 60-game-season sprint by beating the Kansas City Royals 2-0 in their delayed home opener.
Photo: AFP
Bieber began last season as a No. 5 starter with plenty of potential, but the right-hander, who earned MVP honors in last year’s All-Star Game at Progressive Field, has become the heir apparent to two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, traded by Cleveland to the Texas Rangers in December last year.
Bieber is not shying away from being a leader.
“I’ve kind of been in that role and that spot a few times with other teams — back in college, back in high school and moving up the ranks with the Indians,” Bieber said. “It’s definitely something I embrace and look forward to.”
Photo: AFP
Francona said that Bieber is a natural leader.
“He’s doing it in a really good way where he’s not the loudest guy in the room, but he leads by example, the way he carries himself,” Francona said. “And you’re going to see him grow into a tremendous leader on that pitching staff.”
Bieber’s 14 strikeouts set a club record for opening day and are the most in the majors in an opener since Hall of Famer Randy Johnson also fanned 14 on March 31, 1996.
Bieber was just one strikeout shy of the record for an opener, which is held by the Washington Senators’ Camilo Pasqual in 1960.
Royals first-year manager Mike Matheny was impressed with Bieber.
“When he needed to make his fastball pitch, he made it,” Matheny said. “The whole day, you couldn’t even think along with him. He kind of threw whatever he wanted.”
Oscar Mercado and Cesar Hernandez drove in runs in the fifth inning for Cleveland, which was blanked over the first four innings by Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy (0-1).
Adam Cimber and Nick Wittgren pitched a scoreless inning apiece, and Brad Hand worked around hitting the leadoff hitter in the ninth inning for a save.
The Royals struck out 18 times.
The Indians opened this unique season united.
As the club contemplates a name change for the first time in 105 years, the players elected to wear their blue road “Cleveland” jerseys instead of the home whites with “Indians” across the chest.
All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor said that the fashion choice was a statement designed to raise awareness for all minorities and support the team’s consideration of a name change that many groups have said is long overdue.
“It gives us hope that the change will get done,” said Lindor, whose uncertain future hangs over the club. “It’s a huge statement. I stand by my teammates. I stand by minorities and people who need the spotlight — we’re there.”
Bieber started slowly, hitting Whit Merrifield to open the game before settling in and finding his groove.
He struck out eight of nine during one stretch and sent more than one Royals back to the dugout shaking his head.
Bieber ran into his only trouble in the fifth inning: A pair of singles gave the Royals runners at second and third with two outs, but Bieber struck out Adalberto Mondesi to end the threat.
Bieber was penciled in to start the Indians’ originally scheduled opener in March before COVID-19 shut down baseball.
The late July date was not the only oddity for the opener, as there were strange sights around the vacant ballpark, which once hosted 455 consecutive sellouts.
When the Indians were introduced before the game, Slider, the team’s fuzzy, purplish mascot, stood on the home run plaza in left field waving a flag. He looked lonely and later grabbed a seat down the third-base line with some cardboard cutout fans.
Also on Friday, it was:
‧ Astros 8, Mariners 2
‧ Padres 7, Diamondbacks 2
‧ Red Sox 13, Orioles 2
‧ Cardinals 5, Pirates 4
‧ Blue Jays 6, Rays 4
‧ Dodgers 9, Giants 1
‧ Rangers 1, Rockies 0
‧ Mets 1, Braves 0
‧ Twins 10, White Sox 5
‧ Marlins 5, Phillies 2
‧ Reds 7, Tigers 1
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