Cleveland Indians: Shane Bieber should be a mainstay in the Tribe rotation

Shane Bieber is becoming a prominent key to the Cleveland Indians recent success. As the season continues to progress, the Indians should continue to allow Bieber to thrive in the MLB.

Once again, Shane Bieber has wowed the Cleveland Indians. Last night Bieber went out in a pressure situation and blew us all away. The Tribe had dropped two straight against the Cardinals. Corey Kluber had just lost before and fans were starting to panic.

What was Bieber to do? How do you follow-up an outing where your team’s beloved ace showed he can be vulnerable? Shane Bieber showed us just what he was going to do. He kept his cool, and continued to be a strike throwing machine.

It started off with a bang. The Cleveland Indians hadn’t been able to solve Matt Carpenter all week. Carpenter had gone 8-9 against the Indians in his first two outings against them. So what did Bieber do? He struck him out to net the first out of the game. Carpenter went 1-3 in that game, when you’re hot, you’re hot.

Bieber continued to dominate. He allowed just one run in the previous two starts: a total of 13 innings. Sure, he let’s guys on base. Teams have 10 hits against him in those two starts. But he snuffs out any potential rallies. His 4/27 walk-to-strikeout ratio is absolutely phenomenal for someone his age.

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Bieber is just 23 years old, and he’s pitching like he could take the mound any night of the week and give the Indians seven innings and ten strikeouts.

What’s next for Bieber?

As for now, Bieber and Adam Plutko are essentially competing for the fifth rotation spot. Carlos Carrasco will return to the rotation in the coming weeks. That means one of these guys are going to have to go to the bullpen or back to Triple-A.

With all due respect to Adam Plutko and the job he’s done; Bieber has earned that spot thus far. Plutko has thrived in Triple-A and could do well to serve time there a bit longer.

As far as Bieber is concerned, he fits right in the rotation. He’s primarily a fastball pitcher, something the team needs more of with Danny Salazar still on the DL. But his pitch usage makes him so unique.

Per BrooksBaseball, Bieber has a whiff rate of 32.39 percent on his slider: which is his secondary pitch. That’s a better whiff rate than Tribe ace Corey Kluber has on any of his pitches. It’s no wonder he has an incredible 9.99 K/9 innings rate. His changeup and curve also induce high swing rates.

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Bieber has solidified himself as a remarkable piece for this rotation as he’s continued to dominate opposing lineups. He’s had one big hiccup on his resume, and it came in his first start against the Minnesota Twins. He promptly beat those Twins in his next outing.

Make no mistake, Bieber has a place in the Cleveland Indians rotation. He’s earned that place, and he will hold that place for years to come.