Shane Bieber was named AL Pitcher of the Month for August. Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Shane Bieber, Yu Darvish earn Pitcher of the Month honors

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 9/2/20

Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday that Cleveland Indians right-hander Shane Bieber won American League Pitcher of the Month, while Chicago Cubs righty Yu Darvish earned the National League honor.

Bieber was the best pitcher in baseball from late July through the end of August. In six August starts, the 25-year-old compiled a 1.63 ERA and 57 strikeouts, tied with Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox for the most Ks in the big leagues over that period. On Aug. 31, Bieber surrendered only one hit over six innings versus the Kansas City Royals but failed to earn the win due to a lack of offensive output.

Bieber set a record when he recorded 82 strikeouts in his first 50 innings of the campaign:

Shane Bieber collects 82 Ks through 50 IP to start the season, setting a new record! https://t.co/AYK5dT3xIT pic.twitter.com/5XGYD1p8xB
— Topps (@Topps) September 1, 2020

Darvish led the league among eligible candidates with a 1.09 ERA across five August starts. The 34-year-old won each of those outings and has tallied six consecutive victories since July 31.

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