Watching the way a Corey Kluber two-seamer starts outside and then takes a right turn toward the strike can be mesmerizing. Witnessing how his curve tempts a swing, only to leave the hitter looking foolish, can be comical.

On Monday night, Kluber once again lived up to the first letter of his surname, piling up a baker’s dozen worth of strikeouts. Cleveland’s ace as stoic as usual, but the hitters — in the immediate aftermath of each punchout — were not.

Let’s take a look at some of the reactions to Kluber’s 13 strikeouts.

1. Jeimer Candelario

Strikeout victim №1 watched a 1–2 sinker find the inner edge of the strike zone — at least in the eyes of home-plate umpire Jeff Nelson. His judgement has veto power over the opinions of the batters and that played a role all evening. Candelario took the pitch and took four steps backwards out of the batter’s box — like Homer trying to disappear into the bushes.

2. Miguel Cabrera

I’m not sure Miggy has ever agreed with a called third strike and this one was no exception. The future Hall-of-Famer removed his helmet, stood upright and gritted his teeth in the direction of the umpire. The removal of the headwear and subsequent tuck behind his back was a nice touch, as if to say, “Pardon me, sir, but I disagree with your assessment!”

3. Nick Castellanos

Castellanos swung through a full-count cutter low and away and swiftly headed stage left. On his way back to the bench, Castellanos gave no glance in Kluber’s direction. He did, however, smack his left foot, and then the right, with the end of his bat. It was the best contact he made during the plate appearance.

4. James McCann

McCann took a 91 mph sinker low and away for a called third strike — one of eight such strikeouts for Kluber on the day. Upon admiration of the pitch, McCann stood upright for a moment and appeared to have a few words with his ineffective strip of lumber. “Do better, bat.”

5. Dixon Machado

Machado won the Most Animated Reactions award for Monday’s Motor City futility. After this middle-away sinker was close enough for strike three in the umpire’s determination, Machado did a quick crouch of surprise, while applying a facepalm. He did a swift, “Unbelievable,” head shake before returning to the pine.

6. Jeimer Candelario, again

One of four repeat strikeout victims, Candelario’s second whiff came on a hapless swing attempt at a 82-mph curve that dropped below the zone. Like an NBA player trying to avoid being posterized, Candelario spun out of his backswing fast and bolted for the bench. It was easily the quickest batter’s box exit of the evening.

7. Victor Martinez

At the peak of his offensive ability, Martinez was one of the game’s elite contact hitters. Getting a fastball by his bat was a rare sight. When Kluber sent a 91 mph sinker through V-Mart’s swing for strikeout №7, the Tigers veteran looked back in Kluber’s direction, offering what looked like a quick show of respect.

8. Mikie Mahtook

Taking a cue from Miggy, Mahtook acted aghast at the 1–2 sinker that found the edge of the zone. He bent backwards in disbelief — either at the call or his inability to try to spoil a pitch that the umpire had favored all game.

9. James McCann, again

McCann swung through a 2–2 curve for his second whiff of the game against the Tribe ace. The Tigers catcher simply strolled out of the box, bat in hand, refusing to look in the pitcher’s direction. You could almost hear his thoughts: “Don’t look at Kluber. Don’t look at Kluber. Don’t look at Kluber.”

10. Jose Iglesias

This was Monday’s overall winner for Best Reaction. Iglesias offered a feeble swing in the general vicinity of a 2–2 curve that tailed low and away and into another area code. The Detroit shortstop gathered himself, held his bat in his hands and peered out at Kluber without leaving the box. Iglesias stayed there for a few seconds, even offering a nod, as if to say, “I don’t know how the heck you did that.”

11. Nick Castellanos, again

Seven of Kluber’s eight strikeouts came on sinkers, including this one to Castellanos. He rose out of his stance and glared at the umpire before walking away. There were some questionable calls (this one fit that description), but Nelson was at least consistent in calling pitches to that area a strike all game.

12. James McCann, hat trick

Having already had a word with his disobedient bat, McCann had no choice but to flip it in the air in disgust following another called third strike. He caught it on the barrel — perhaps considering holding the stick in that fashion in his next trip to the plate. As McCann walked away, he slammed his left foot hard with the bat.

13. Dixon Machado, el fin

It was a back-breaking kind of outing from Kluber and Machado summed that up quite nicely with the ace’s final ticket. After working the count full, Machado received an outside sinker. Ball four? Maybe, but that’s not the way Nelson had been calling it all game. Upon hearing the strike-three call, Machado arched his bat in dismay.

— JB