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AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS INDIANS

October 5, 2017

Corey Kluber

Cleveland, Ohio - pregame 1, Canada

Q. Corey, what do you think the biggest factor has been in your elevation from what you were in 2013 to what you've been since then?
COREY KLUBER: Probably just learning how to continue to improve as a pitcher. I don't know if I have one magic answer for that. But I think it's just kind of continually trying to find ways to improve and make yourself better.

Q. Corey, Aaron Judge was not in the lineup either time you faced the Yankees this year. Just wondering what your thoughts are on him as a hitter, what you've seen, and what your impressions have been.
COREY KLUBER: I mean, I think the year he's had speaks for itself. Obviously, he's a great hitter. Like you said, I haven't faced him yet, but I don't think it's any different from any point in your career when you're facing somebody for the first time.

I think that you scout him as best you can and you try to figure out a game plan for him and go out there and execute it. And if that doesn't work, you try to adjust and find the best way that you can that you think you can get him out.

Q. Corey, can you talk about Trevor's evolution as a teammate. He spoke yesterday about how it kind of took him a couple of years to get comfortable around the staff and teammates and things like that. Could you just talk about how far he's come.
COREY KLUBER: Yeah, I think he's made big strides in that area. I think that he probably has a lot more trust in the staff and his teammates than maybe he did initially just because I think that he now -- he realizes how much everybody is pulling for him to do well as well, because he's a big part of our team. Just because somebody may do something that's a little bit unconventional and not the way everybody else does it doesn't make it wrong.

I think that he realizes that -- not to say that he didn't before, but I think that he realizes that there's nothing that any of us want more than for him to go out there and do well.

Q. I know that your work ethic and your regimen is pretty well-known. Is there anything you borrowed from Trevor over the past couple of years that you use now?
COREY KLUBER: I think we all try to find little things from each other to maybe implement for ourselves. I think that's one of the reasons why we watch each other's bullpens, why we all go out there and throw at the same time. It makes you -- one, it has a level of accountability for the guy throwing because those guys are taking the time to go out there and watch you, but also the guys that are watching are not only watching that guy for him, but maybe there's something in there that you can pick up. It might be the way he holds a pitch. It might be something throughout his delivery.

But I think we all make a pretty concerted effort to pay attention when the other guys are working and hopefully find something that can help us.

Q. Corey, of course you pitched not the first game, but that second game last year. Is there anything different pitching the second game of a short series like this than the first game or not?
COREY KLUBER: I don't think so. I mean, I think that regardless of whether you pitch Game 1 or Game 4, whatever it is, you're going to go out there, and you're going to try to win that game. I think that, from my point of view, if you're out there worrying about which game it is or what the games are in the series, things like that, that's kind of stuff that you don't really have control over, and it's going to end up, in my mind, taking away from what you're trying to do out there, which is get guys out. I think that's the most important thing. Regardless of what game you're pitching, the goal is to try to get as many guys out as you can and help win that ball game.

Q. Corey, there was a point in June where the rotation had the lowest ERA in the American League, and I know as a staff, you guys have had various points to discuss things you could do. What were some of the things internally that were kind of turning points for you guys as a staff?
COREY KLUBER: I mean, I guess, to make it as simple as I can, it boiled down to us doing what we do best, not -- I guess in a way more so going out there and executing our game plan as opposed to trying to adjust or pitch to the hitters. I mean, obviously, you're going to have a game plan for each hitter, but not worrying about them as much as going with our strengths and how our strengths can best get those guys out. I think, in a way, we were almost just doing it backwards at the beginning.

Q. Corey, Tito got some second guessing just from his decision to start you in Game 2, but he also said that that's kind of the way you guys hashed it out. Did you feel strongly about doing it this way?
COREY KLUBER: Like I said yesterday, they talked to me. They gave their ideas for it and why they had their ideas for it, and I didn't have a problem with it. To me, it's not about me wanting to pitch the first game or wanting to pitch the second game. It's about us winning three games before they do. Whichever way that happens, and if it happens and we advance, it doesn't matter who pitches when, in my mind.

Q. Corey, it seemed like last year around this time, there was a lot of responsibility on you, in part, to provide innings with so many injuries elsewhere in the rotation. With everybody seemingly healthy right now, is there a different feeling this time around that maybe there isn't quite so much weight on going deep in the games? Or does it really not make a difference for you?
COREY KLUBER: I don't think so. I didn't approach it last year as if there was any more pressure on me than normal. I just tried to take it as I do every game, which is go out there and try to put up as many zeros as I can and go as long as I can. I think, if do you that, if it turns in your favor, if it doesn't, you can live with it.

I don't think last year's situation, I don't think I said I had to carry the load any more than I normally would.

Q. Corey, what do you see with this New York Yankees lineup? I know that you pitched Game 2. Obviously, they have great hitters with Judge, Gardner, Gregorius, et cetera.
COREY KLUBER: I think they're a very versatile lineup. They've got youth. They've got experience. They have power. They have speed. I mean, there's a lot of different ways they can score runs. I don't think you can necessarily just sit here and say we're going to get them out by doing this.

I think that it comes down to us executing pitches and executing our game plan, and if we don't, like I said, they have a very good lineup that probably will make us pay.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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