Corey Kluber
The stoic ace whose devastating breaking ball earned him two Cy Young Awards and etched his name into Cleveland pitching lore.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American baseball player·Birthday: April 10·Millennials
Biography
Corey Kluber's path to dominance was not that of a can't-miss prospect, but of a late-blooming craftsman who perfected his arsenal through relentless work. Drafted by the San Diego Padres but traded to Cleveland, he quietly refined his sinker and a unique, hybrid breaking pitch—dubbed 'The Klubot' for his emotionless demeanor on the mound. His breakout in 2014, winning the American League Cy Young Award, announced the arrival of a new pitching force. He backed it up with a second Cy Young in 2017, anchoring a Cleveland staff with surgical precision and overwhelming swing-and-miss stuff. Kluber's peak was defined by complete-game mastery and an almost predictable regularity of excellence, including a no-hitter with the New York Yankees in 2021. While injuries later disrupted his rhythm, his legacy is that of a pitcher who reached the apex of his profession through intelligence and a signature pitch that left batters baffled for nearly a decade.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Corey was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Corey Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Corey's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the American League Cy Young Award in 2014 and again in 2017.
- Pitched a no-hitter for the New York Yankees against the Texas Rangers on May 19, 2021.
- Led the American League in wins (18) in 2017 and complete games (5) in 2016.
- Finished third in AL Cy Young voting in 2016 and was a three-time MLB All-Star (2016, 2017, 2018).
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Klubot' references his stoic, emotionless demeanor on the pitching mound.
He attended Stetson University, the same alma mater as major league pitcher Jacob deGrom.
He was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Cleveland Indians as part of a three-team deal involving Jake Westbrook.
He won the AL Pitcher of the Month award five times during his career.
“I focus on executing the pitch I want to throw, nothing else.”
