Justin Masterson becoming the Ace for AL Central-leading Indians

Justin Masterson dominated again for the Tribe. No surprise there. (Photo: Reuters/Aaron Josefczyk)

When Justin Masterson was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2009 for catcher Victor Martinez, the Boston Red Sox lost a valuable, young piece to their puzzle. They still don’t have a player with his flexibility, as he filled a role few in baseball could by making spot-starts and providing long-relief. The 6’6″ right-hander had his rough patches, as any young pitcher does getting acclimated to the majors, but he was nonetheless making a difference, with a bright future ahead of him.

Now, the deal is looking like less of a win for the Red Sox. This was due to the Indians immediate plan for him, as they put him in the starting rotation upon his arrive.

He hadn’t quite figured himself out yet, fooling the opposition too sparingly. But after struggling his first season and a half with Cleveland by putting up four-plus ERA’s he has become one of the better pitchers in baseball in 2011. His repertoire has taken shape. Many opponents have found this out the hard way, most recently the New York Yankees.

The 24-year-old entered June having gone winless over his previous 11 starts. This was mainly due to a lack of run support, as his ERA was 3.79 in May and 2.79 in April. Therefore, despite winning his first five starts of the season, his record was a mediocre 5-6.

He deserved better than this, and his offense has finally rewarded him. They backed him against Cincinnati on the first of June, though he didn’t need much support by tossing eight innings and allowing just one run.

They helped him again, jumping out to a 2-0 first-inning lead, and he managed to pitch even better against the American League’s best team in front of a packed stadium in Cleveland.

His fastball-curveball duo confused the Yankees dangerous bats. And when he did let New York reach base he made sure the threat on their part was only minimal, getting out of many one-out jams. He was given two runs of support in the first inning. One run was enough for him, as he tossed eight shutout innings and relinquished just three hits while walking two. This superb performance lowered his ERA to 2.66, a mark that is good for eighth in the American League.

“The night belonged to Justin Masterson,” first-year manager Manny Acta said to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “He was terrific.” Masterson’s three-quarter arm slot was as deceptive as ever, with the power, movement, and unpredictability to make the Yankees offense look lowly. This performance, even against such a good lineup, wasn’t surprising. After all, he is Cleveland’s ace, a title no Indians pitcher has rightfully had since Cliff Lee last graced their mound in 2009.

When he was with Boston there was the thought he fill this role. Him being shopped didn’t sit well with me, and for good reason. The Red Sox needed a bat, but he had the desired makeup and the talent. And when he was pitching well he was baffling. Now, with a more polished repertoire and an ace’s mentality, he is dominating far more often.

He is especially making quick work of left-handers. He remarkably mowed down all 19 he faced against the Yankees. “He got his four-seam fastball in on just about everybody tonight,” Acta said.  “He used both sides of the plate very well.”

“I was just mixing and matching,” said Masterson. “I moved the ball in and out.” This response was and has been an understatement for some time. He once again made it look effortless, keeping New York’s hitters guessing and eventually walking back to the dugouts shaking their heads. Many other lineups know the feeling.

Lee is on his third team since being traded, currently dominating for the Philadelphia Phillies. Fausto Carmona, who won 19 games in 2007, had the makings of something special but has since struggled mightily. Josh Tomlin is raising some eyebrows in the current rotation, with ten wins, but I believe Masterson is the man now in Cleveland. And, judging by his season thus far, the streaking Indians can continue to count on him as they try to stick as the cream of the competitive American League Central’s crop.