Indians Rookie Pitcher Shane Bieber Making History - Three Interesting Stats for the Tribe Rookie Pitcher

If you asked Indians fans what player in the minor league system at the start of 2018 would have been making history less than three months into the season, not many would have stated pitcher Shane Bieber.

The 2016 fourth-round pick of the Indians has quickly not only made it to the Major League level, but now is making history by blowing opponents away and helping the Indians amass wins at the same time.

The latest display was maybe the most impressive, as he went seven innings to help the Tribe top the Tigers 10-0 at Progressive Field on Friday night.

Bieber is 2-0 on the season and is quickly turning heads among fans and those in the organization that never saw this development coming.

Here's three stats about Bieber that might make you do a double take regarding the fast start for Bieber thus far in 2018.

1. Joining Tiant

With the nine K's on Friday night, Bieber joined some rather elite company in Indians history. He is the first pitcher for the Tribe to record six or more strikeouts in each of his first three career appearances since Luis Tiant did it in 1964.

Bieber is first Tribe pitcher since Louie Tiant to strikeout at least six batters in his first three big-league appearances. El Tiante did it in 1964.
— paul hoynes (@hoynsie) June 23, 2018

2. K's to Walks While Shane Bieber has been putting up a rather large number of strikeouts in his first three starts of his career, maybe the more impressive number is the fact he's not walking batters. The numbers for three starts for Bieber speak volumes as to how he's been able to locate his pitches. He's struck out 22 batters, while walking just three in the 18.1 innings pitched. Friday he struck out nine and walked just one. For a 23-year-old, he's showing great poise and making it look easy. Bieber is tied with Danny Salazar (also 22) for the 3rd-most strikeouts in a pitcher’s first three career appearances in Indians franchise history.

Shane Bieber had it from the jump.@JLEWFifty breaks down two of the nine strikeouts from his start tonight.#RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/QZkloEMm5D
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) June 23, 2018

3. A Drop in Hits

Another promising stat from Bieber's start on Friday is that fact that he only allowed four hits in the blowout win.

While he struck out 13 batters in the first two games, he allowed quite a few hits - 8 in the first start against the Twins on May 31st, and 10 more against the Twins on June 17th.

Seeing that number drop over half was a sign of just how good his location was on Friday, and it's hard not to get excited about how good he's looked thus far early in his Major League career.

"Remember I was telling you before the game that I was excited to watch him pitch -- that's why," said manager Terry Francona after the win. "I mean, shoot, he pounded the zone with three different pitches. He changed speeds."

It might only be three starts, but Bieber has clearly caught the eye of everyone including Francona and pitching coach Carl Willis.

#Indians No. 3 prospect Shane Bieber had absolutely everything working as he led the @Indians to a win over the @Tigers:
7 IP
4 H
0 ER
1 BB
9 K
More: https://t.co/u1yPkT9fTD pic.twitter.com/EYvh4oVcPZ
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 23, 2018