Chicago Cubs: Cubbies Crib staff casts their end-of-year award votes

Chicago Cubs: CC staff taps Indians’ Game 7 starter from a year ago

The Chicago Cubs got more than their share of looks at Corey Kluber and Max Scherzer over the last two postseasons. Last year, Kluber dominated Chicago in Games 1 and 4 of the World Series, allowing just one earned over those two games.

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But, in a pivotal Game 7, the Cubs got their hacks. He lasted just four innings, allowing four earned on six hits. Most notably, he did not strike out a single batter. Of course, that game was decided by each team’s bullpen, with Chicago winning their first championship in 108 years after 10 innings of play.

Fast forward to 2017.

For pretty much the entire season, the Cleveland Indians were expected to win another American League pennant. A big part of that line of thinking revolved around the work of Kluber, who tied a career-high with 18 wins and lost just four times in his 29 starts.

The right-hander eclipsed 200 innings for a fourth-straight year, leading the league in both complete games and shutouts – en route to a 2.25 ERA. In our balloting, that netted him 12 of 13 votes.