Kluber has ‘cool’ stat: 20 wins

the first time in his career in a 4-0 win over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. He threw seven scoreless innings and struck out 11.

Kluber was the first Indians pitcher to win 20 games since lefthander Cliff Lee won 22 in 2008. That’s 10 years ago. As for right-handers, the last Indians pitcher to win 20 games was Gaylord Perry in 1974. That’s 44 years ago.

Kluber was asked after the game if he was as nervous, or at least a bit on edge, during the game. He laughed at the question and said, “No, I mean, 20 wins is cool. It’s a nice round number, but I think as long as we win the game, that’s obviously the main goal.”

From 2014 to ‘17, Kluber went 18-9, 9-16, 18-9 and 18-4. He won the Cy Young Award in 2014 and ‘17. This year he is 20-7 with a 2.83 ERA.

In the last five years, he’s 83-45 with a 2.83 ERA. He’s averaged nearly 17 wins, 217 innings and 244 strikeouts per season over that period.

“It’s a cool accomplishment,” Kluber saidf. “It’s something to be proud of, but the way I look at it is I gave us a chance to win a lot of times. I think that there are times where my teammates picked me up when I didn’t (pitch well), and maybe I got credited with a win.

“When Edwin (Encarnacion) got 100 RBI on Sunday, things like that, we’re all pulling for each other to get those numbers that mean something.”