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Two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber will go into his start Monday night in Kansas City in an unfamiliar position: in a slump.

In his first 14 starts this year Youth Thomas Rawls Jersey , Kluber was 10-2 with a 1.99 ERA. But in his last three starts, Kluber is 1-2 with a 6.59 ERA.

Nevertheless, the slumping Kluber will be on the mound Monday night for the Cleveland Indians, who, not coincidentally, are slumping as a team.

Although they walloped Oakland 15-3 on Sunday, the Indians have lost four of the first six games on their nine-game trip that will conclude with three games in Kansas City.

Kluber, who is 10-6 with a 2.82 ERA in 21 career starts against the Royals, will try to get back on track against one of his favorite opponents.

Kluber’s three-start slump is actually two really bad ones sandwiched around a really good one. It started June 15 with a 10-3 loss to Minnesota in which Kluber gave up four runs in five innings.

However, Kluber’s next start, on June 20, was a 12-0 win over the Chicago White Sox in which he pitched seven scoreless innings and gave up one hit.

But on June 26 in St. Louis, Kluber had his worst start of the year Youth Trenton Cannon Jersey , his worst in several years. In an 11-4 loss to the Cardinals, Kluber was removed from the game after giving up six runs in 1 2/3 innings.

“He’s human. Guys don’t go 35 starts (during the season) without a bump in the road,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.

Kluber said, “No excuses. I just didn’t get the job done. I had some things going on delivery-wise and didn’t execute my pitches consistently.”

Although the Indians have a comfortable nine-game lead in the American League Central, they have had trouble winning on the road.

Cleveland is 27-13 at home but just 18-24 on the road, the only division leader in the majors with a losing record on the road. The Indians are hoping Kluber can help shake his slump and get a road win Monday.

Kluber is 11-4 with a 2.54 ERA overall this season. One of those wins came against the Royals on May 13, a 6-2 Cleveland victory in which Kluber pitched seven innings without allowing an earned run.

The Indians bolstered their bullpen Sunday by selecting left-hander Marc Rzepczynski from Triple-A Columbus and optioning starter Adam Plutko to Columbus.

Kluber’s mound opponent Monday night, Royals right-hander Jakob Junis (5-9, 4.67), is also mired in a slump.

Junis hasn’t won a game since May 18. In seven starts since then, he is 0-6 with a 6.30 ERA. His last start came June 26, a 5-1 loss to Milwaukee. In that game, Junis pitched five innings Youth P.J. Hall Jersey , giving up four runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Junis’ last start against Cleveland came May 13. In a 6-2 loss to the Indians, he pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

In three career appearances against Cleveland, Junis is 0-1 with a 5.93 ERA.

The Royals, who have lost three in a row, were glad to see the calendar change to July. They went 5-21 in June, the worst record in June in the team’s 50-year history.

Shane Bieber was relaxing in the clubhouse at Triple-A Columbus on Saturday when he received an important message.

The rookie right-hander was needed in the big leagues.

Bieber capped a whirlwind few hours by pitching one-run ball into the sixth inning for his first major league win, helping the Cleveland Indians beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1 on Sunday.

He scattered 10 hits and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings in his second career start. He was recalled earlier in the day when Carlos Carrasco went on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised right elbow.

”It was hectic,” said Bieber, who was told about his promotion Saturday evening. ”They said go pack what you need and get on the road as soon as possible.”

Catcher Yan Gomes, whose three run-double in the third snapped a 1-all tie, was impressed with the composure a 23-year-old pitcher who began the season at Double-A Akron showed in unusual circumstances.

”The kid has some poise,” Gomes said. ”He knows what he’s doing out there. That’s good to see from such a young guy.”

Tyler Naquin had an RBI single in the second. Cody Allen Youth Daryl Worley Jersey , the Indians’ third reliever, pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 15 opportunities.

Cleveland salvaged the finale of the three-game series and broke a five-game losing streak against Minnesota.

Twins right-hander Jake Odorizzi (3-4) allowed four runs in five innings. He is winless in seven starts since May 8.

Bieber was scheduled to start for Triple-A Columbus on Sunday, but that plan changed when Carrasco was injured in the second inning of Saturday’s 9-3 loss.

Carrasco’s early exit forced the Indians to use seven pitchers, including Adam Plutko, who was scheduled to start for Cleveland on Sunday. Bieber, instead of preparing to face Indianapolis in the International League, made the 2 1/2 drive from Columbus.

Bieber got an idea a change was coming when he and his teammates were watching the Indians game.

”We saw the bullpen was kind of thin and all of a sudden I see Plutko in the game,” he said. ”Somebody across the clubhouse goes, `who’s supposed to start for us tomorrow?’ All these heads turn and they say, `you might be starting in the big leagues.’ ”

Bieber scrambled to get his father and brother tickets for a red-eye flight from California so they could attend the game.

Eduardo Escobar’s first-inning double gave Minnesota the lead. The Twins were coming off wins over Corey Kluber, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, and Carrasco in the first two games of the series, but were held in check by Bieber (1-0).

Minnesota had runners on second and third with nobody out in the sixth Youth Terrell Edmunds Jersey , but Bieber struck out Mitch Garver and Ehre Adrianza. Oliver Perez struck out Joe Mauer to end the inning.

Escobar doubled in each of his first three at-bats, but Minnesota stranded 10 baserunners and was 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

”We had chances,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. ”We could have put the ball in play multiple times whether it was just a ground ball or fly ball that was going to get us a point or two, get us closer.”

Bieber made his major league debut at Minnesota on May 31, allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings. He left with the Indians ahead 8-4, but the bullpen couldn’t hold onto the lead and Cleveland won 9-8.

Michael Brantley hit a leadoff double in the third, and Edwin Encarnacion and Lonnie Chisenhall drew one-out walks. Gomes’ double to the wall in left-center scored all three runners.

NICE REWARD

The Twins won’t get a breather when it comes to facing the top pitchers in the AL in their three-game series against Boston. Minnesota will go against former Cy Young winners Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello, who are a combined 22-8 this season.

NEXT GAME ADDITION

Indians manager Terry Francona said first baseman Yonder Alonso will return to the team Monday. Alonso was placed on the family-medical-emergency list Friday.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: OF Robbie Grossman was removed for a pinch runner in the sixth inning for what was announced as ”heat illness.” Molitor said Grossman felt lightheaded and dizzy.

Indians: Carrasco will have additional tests Monday. … LHP Tyler Olson (strained back muscle) was placed on the 10-day DL. He’s 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA in 28 appearances.

UP NEXT

Twins: RHP Jose Berrios (7-5, 3.51 ERA) will pitch Monday against Boston in the first of a three-game series.

Indians: RHP Trevor Bauer (5-5, 2.69 ERA) will go in the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday at Progressive Field.