Estrada, Kluber offer contrast in styles

MARCO ESTRADA

Even though he has established himself over two full seasons with the Jays, Estrada still startles his fans and his opponents with his stuff that looks so inviting until you try to make contact with it. His fastball tops out at 89 mph, yet hitter after hitter fails to get around on it. They call it an “invisiball.” One second it’ s in your wheelhouse, the next it’s past you. And just when you think you’ve got that timed up, he floats up a 76- mph change-up or maybe that 79mph curve and you’ve lost your balance in a tangle of legs and cleats. Then there’s the cutter that moves just enough to stay off the barrel of most bats. Estrada has faced Cleveland once this year, tossing five innings, allowing three earned runs and two home runs. He didn’t figure in the decision as the Jays scored three runs late to win 9- 6 on July 2.

COREY KLUBER

It took Kluber a long time to get to the big leagues, but when he got there, he took the American League by storm. Kluber was 21 when he was drafted by the San Diego Padres. He was going nowhere in the Padres system when he was dealt to Cleveland in a trade deadline deal in 2010. He got a cup of coffee with Cleveland in 2011 and another in 2012, but in 2013 he latched on for good when he learned how important a first strike was. Another year later, he won the AL Cy Young Award. He has a four- pitch arsenal and can’t throw anything straight. All his pitches are bent in some way or another and it’s a chore to make hard contact, but none more so than his all-world curveball. He has an ERA north of 5.00 for his career against the Jays, but he can be one tough customer.