CLEVELAND — While MLB's official awards won't be released until the World Series is over, two Cleveland Indians starting pitchers have already picked up some new hardware thanks to their peers.
On Thursday, the MLB Players Association its Players Choice Awards for the 2020 season, with Indians ace Shane Bieber honored as the American League Outstanding Pitcher and Carlos Carrasco being named the American League Comeback Player of the Year.
A virtual lock to also win the American League Cy Young Award, Bieber made the most of a 2020 campaign that was shortened to 60 games as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In 12 starts, the 25-year-old right-hander amassed an 8-1 record, to go along with 122 strikeouts and a 1.63 ERA, becoming the first pitcher to win the MLB Triple Crown since 2006.
Meanwhile, 2020 marked Carrasco's first full season back in the big leagues after a battle with leukemia limited his 2019 season. After spending the end of last year in the Cleveland bullpen, Carrasco returned to the Indians' starting rotation, amassing a 3-4 record, 2.91 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 12 starts.
In addition to being named the MLB Players Choice American League Comeback Player of the Year, the 33-year-old Carrasco earned the same honor from a survey of players and executives in the Sporting News earlier this month. The Indians' new hardware might not stop there either, with catcher Roberto Perez, pitcher Zach Plesac and second baseman Cesar Hernandez each being named Gold Glove finalists on Thursday.