Cleveland Sports Forum

What we learned from Vogt's first series at helm


By Mandy Bell @MandyBell02

March 31, 2024

OAKLAND -- This wasn’t the way the Guardians wanted to end their strong opening series at the Coliseum.

After three comfortable victories, Cleveland found itself in a three-run deficit through seven innings on Sunday. But after the offense chipped away and managed to knot the score heading into the ninth, it seemed as though fate was going to work in the Guardians’ favor yet again. That lasted until the bottom of the ninth, when Scott Barlow loaded the bases with no outs and Eli Morgan came in to throw four straight balls that handed the Guardians a 4-3 loss to the A’s.

A fourth consecutive victory was in sight. It would’ve been the first time Cleveland started a season 4-0 since 1998. Instead, it slipped away. But that didn’t wash away the tone that this lineup set over the previous three games. Here are three takeaways from the Guardians’ opening weekend.


Vogt isn’t afraid to mix things up

As much as we’re trying to learn about this roster, we also are trying to figure out who Stephen Vogt will be as a manager. So far, it’s been clear that Vogt likes to play aggressively and isn’t afraid to take chances.

Vogt doesn’t like the word “platoon,” but the Guardians have certainly shifted things around based on who is on the rubber. On Opening Day against a lefty, Andrés Giménez hit seventh. The next night against a righty, he hit second. Moves like this could happen all season long when Vogt believes it’ll best be effective.

It became abundantly clear that Vogt wasn't afraid to take chances when he put on a safety squeeze in a tie game with no outs and runners on first and third in the top of the ninth inning on Sunday with Gabriel Arias at the plate. When Arias didn’t get the bunt down, Bo Naylor was caught too far off third and was picked off, squashing any momentum that had been trending in Cleveland’s favor. It didn’t pay off, but we saw the aggressive nature on full display.

“It’s one of those things that you think it’s the right play at the time. When it works, it works. When it doesn’t, you’re wrong,” Vogt said. “It was an unfortunate break for us”

The offense has life

The biggest question coming into 2024 was whether the bats would be able to produce enough runs to win. In Games 1, 2 and 3, that definitely wasn’t the concern.

The Guardians’ +19 run differential in the first three contests led the Majors and was the best in franchise history in that span. Only three other times in club history had they scored at least six runs in each of the first three contests (1998, 1923, 1922).

Not only did the top of the order do its share, but guys like David Fry, Tyler Freeman and Austin Hedges were part of the action, too. We’ve seen it’s possible for this lineup to pick up steam. Now, we have to wait to see how consistent or sustainable it will be for the next 158 games.

There are some 2022 vibes

The energy is back in the clubhouse that went missing last year. It’s evident in their postgame win celebration with their new WWE Guardians belt. The camaraderie in the clubhouse played a huge role in why such a young roster in ‘22 made it to the second round of the playoffs. That squad had such a scrappiness to it, emphasizing the importance of moving up the extra 90 feet on the bases.

In the first three games, Cleveland racked up an MLB-best eight steals, each swiped by a different player. And just like ‘22, the Guardians proved on Sunday that they’re never out of a contest after erasing a three-run deficit in the eighth inning.

The chip on the shoulder is back. The never-say-die attitude seems to be prevalent. The energy is bursting out of the clubhouse. Now, we wait to see what it will all equate to.

“No loss feels good and this one certainly doesn’t,” Vogt said. “But really, really proud of the way the guys played this series coming out of Spring Training, and we’re excited to get to Seattle.”

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Juan Brito blasts off in extra innings loss

Cleveland Guardians minor league recap for Monday, April 1, 2024

By Brian Hemminger@BrianHemminger

Apr 1, 2024, 11:47am EDT 6 Comments / 6 New

Columbus played much better in its second game of the season Sunday, but the Clippers still failed to pick up their first victory.

The offense was better this time around, with CTC No. 5 prospect Juan Brito being the standout by a wide margin.

Brito had three hits on the day, including this two-run home run in the first inning that gave the Clippers their first lead of the season.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1774526847650316594

Columbus maintained a 2-1 lead until the ninth inning, when a sacrifice fly off of reliever Anthony Banda tied the game and sent it to extra innings.

The Clippers took a 3-2 lead in the 10th inning on a single from Dom Nunez, but with runners on second and third, Myles Straw hit a grounder that caused a runner to be thrown out at the plate.

Reliever Randy Labaut was brought in for the bottom of the 10th inning and couldn’t hold the lead, allowing St. Paul to tie it and send the game to the 11th, where Columbus again took a 4-3 lead, this time on an RBI single from Brito.

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10 Cleveland Guardians players I’m most looking forward to watching in 2024 Cleveland Guardians&#039; Shane Bieber walks to the dugout after pitching against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
By Zack Meisel
6h ago
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OAKLAND, Calif. — When Tyler Beede played in San Francisco, the Giants celebrated wins with fog machines and cash cannons.

“It’s hard to win,” Beede said. “Celebrate each win. You never know when your last game is going to be.”

With that in mind, Beede purchased a $550 Cleveland Guardians championship belt to bestow upon a key player after each win. He consults with Austin Hedges and Triston McKenzie and then snaps a picture of each winner with his Polaroid.

The board members tried to wrap it around Shane Bieber’s waist after his Opening Day masterpiece, but Bieber insisted Stephen Vogt deserved the prize for notching his first managerial win. Vogt, though, stressed that it’s a player award, so the belt wound up in David Fry’s locker after his three-hit performance. Andrés Giménez and Steven Kwan received the honor the following two nights.

There were plenty of candidates for Beede and company to consider those first three games. The Guardians, for all of their faults, have a bunch of intriguing, young, mysterious talent. And so now that a handful of games are in the books (and I have some confirmation that I made the right choices), it’s time to reveal the 10 players I’m most looking forward to watching over the next six months.

10. Brayan Rocchio

It feels like we’ve been hearing about Rocchio for a decade, and yet he just turned 23 in January. He was perhaps the surprise winner of the spring shortstop competition, and now if he can illustrate why he drew Francisco Lindor comparisons while in the minors, he might not give the job back. For an organization that has stockpiled middle infielders for years — and for a team still searching for an answer at shortstop despite that stockpile — a Rocchio breakout would have a lot of people exhaling.


9. Tyler Freeman

What would Freeman have said in November if told he would start in center field on Opening Day?

“No chance,” he said. “No way.”

He spent the first series roaming the same outfield grass where Dwayne Murphy racked up Gold Glove Awards, where Rickey Henderson got his start. And here’s the thing: He really enjoys it, perhaps even more than manning the middle infield because he has more opportunities to run and to chase after fly balls or line drives in the gap. Vogt praised the way Freeman handled the wind and rain in the spacious Oakland outfield.

It’s easy to forget he was a top 100 prospect ahead of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons, according to both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. As a big leaguer, he had appeared in only 88 games in 2022 and ’23, far too small a sample to draw any conclusions. But he must demonstrate the hitting acumen that made him so well-regarded by prospect evaluators. The contact ability is undeniable. Can he translate that into big-league production? Can he do it while patrolling center field? It’s an intriguing experiment.

8. Bo Naylor

A Cleveland catcher who doesn’t bat ninth? In this economy? The training wheels are off for Naylor this season, but he’ll have as extensive of a support system as a catcher could need in Vogt, Hedges, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Craig Albernaz. In a 67-game sample last year, Naylor flashed some power, some speed and some patience. What can he produce in a 162-game encore?

7. Chase DeLauter

He has to get to the majors first, but he probably expedited his arrival with a captivating spring performance. The calls for his promotion were loud in March. They’ll be deafening by May. And who can blame anyone clamoring for DeLauter? He could finally be a long-awaited answer — and a homegrown one at that — in the outfield. Cleveland hasn’t drafted, developed and employed an All-Star outfielder since Manny Ramirez. Might DeLauter end that drought?

6. Gavin Williams

He’s a hoss who possesses ace-level stuff, and even when he didn’t seem overly dominant last year, he still recorded healthy numbers. So what happens when he has better pitch usage and plans of attack? His slider and curveball stymied hitters in 2023 (.157 and .174 opponent average, respectively), and it’s his fastball — which last year averaged 95.7 mph but fluctuated quite a bit because of mechanical inefficiencies — that typically stands out. There should be a way, once he’s healthy, to deploy those three pitches in a way that overwhelms most hitters.

5. Triston McKenzie

McKenzie snapped off a bunch of curveballs in his final spring tuneup that offered a reminder of what he’s capable of when healthy and what the Guardians missed last year when he was limited to 16 innings. Hitters have logged a .121 average and a .179 slugging percentage against his curveball during his four big-league seasons. That curveball is a thing of beauty to watch. It’s nice to actually get to watch it in 2024.

As for McKenzie’s fastball, well, a little more velocity and/or a little less hard contact would go a long way after a shaky showcase of the pitch on Monday.

4. Steven Kwan

Could Kwan lead the American League in hits? Could he win a batting title? His elite contact rate and plate discipline are already a joy to watch. Now if Kwan follows through on his aim of uncorking more aggressive swings in hitters’ counts, how will that influence his stat line? His home run in Oakland traveled 424 feet, the longest blast of his career. The guess is he performs closer to his 2022 slash line (.298/.373/.400) than his 2023 clip (.268/.340/.370). Oh, and he also has only ever played Gold Glove Award-winning defense, which is pleasing to the eye.


3. Kyle Manzardo

Last year, Cleveland’s lineup sorely needed thump. This year, though? Well, uh, it still sorely needs thump. Manzardo can provide it. He offered no suggestions this spring that he isn’t ready to try to tackle major-league pitching. Perhaps as soon as a few weeks from now, he should receive a chance to do so and to silence anyone still questioning the team’s trade of Aaron Civale last summer. Manzardo might not have the overall ceiling DeLauter does, but his floor is pretty high as a patient hitter who should rack up 20-plus homers and 35 doubles.

2. José Ramírez

How can he not rank at or near the top? He’s thrilling to watch yank a fastball over the fence, lose his helmet while advancing an extra 90 feet, make a backhanded snag at third base, chirp at teammates in the dugout, or deliver a decisive jab when an opponent challenges him to a no-holds-barred showdown. While some whisper about whether Ramírez’s best days are behind him, there’s one person who scoffs at such a suggestion. That’d be Ramírez, now 31 years old. He has finished in the top 10 in AL MVP voting six times from 2017-23 (including a trio of top-three finishes). He’s still so good at so many things, and his instincts and intelligence are such that he’ll figure out ways to produce as he navigates his 30s.

1. Shane Bieber

He’s the most intriguing because this can go in so many directions. How he performs and how the Guardians perform could create a handful of possibilities this summer. If he thrives, he could be a trade option. But if he thrives, it could vault the Guardians into contention and perhaps to a place in which trading him would be detrimental. It’s trite for a player to say they’re in a great spot heading into a new season — I’m still waiting for a player to admit, “Yeah, I spent my entire winter licking Cheetos dust off my fingers” — but Bieber is a motivated pitcher in a walk year. If he can recapture what made him an unquestioned ace from 2020-22, it could pay dividends for everyone involved. The early returns are promising, especially if he continues to trust his new-ish changeup.

“I don’t need approval from the outside,” he said last week. “I know what I’m capable of and I’m excited to go do it.”

Cade Smith has struck out eight of 12 batters faced across two big league outings. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)Getty Images


GUARDIANS

Guardians rookie reliever shows promise after just two outings

Updated: Apr. 02, 2024, 6:37 p.m.|Published: Apr. 02, 2024, 6:29 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cade Smith was nearly the odd man out when the Guardians broke training camp last week. Now the 6-foot-5 rookie reliever is making sure people take notice with a pair of sensational outings, piling up strikeouts in his major league debut on Saturday and a fine follow-up in Monday’s loss to Seattle.

Not bad for a guy who was in limbo just a week ago as the Guardians told him he would make the club as long as they did not acquire any other options via trade before Thursday’s opener.

Smith, a little more than a month shy of his 25th birthday, has faced 12 batters across two big league appearances against the Athletics and Mariners. He’s struck out eight of those opponents and allowed just two walks in 3 1/3 innings for a 0.600 whip.

The five strikeouts in his debut outing marked a club record, and adding three more gave him the most for a Cleveland reliever in his first two career appearances. Among major league relievers, Smith entered play Tuesday tied for the league lead in strikeouts with Oakland’s Kyle Muller.

The numbers are impressive, but the stuff has been equally eye-opening. Smith averages just a tick under 96 mph with his fastball according to StatCast, and his changeup produces more than 36 inches of vertical movement for a 50% whiff rate.

Smith’s slider, which he has only thrown seven times, features 13.6 inches of horizontal movement. No batter has been able put one of Smith’s sliders in play, generating 100% swing and miss in an admittedly small sample size.

Smith told reporters after Saturday’s win that he is simply trying to control his emotions and let his stuff play in the moment.

“I’ve just done my best to stay levelheaded and be consistent through whatever ups and downs and excitement and whatever’s going on,” Smith said. “Just to be calm and stay true to what I am, what I do and stick with that.”

In Saturday’s debut against Oakland, Smith produced seven whiffs, six called strikes, and seven foul balls on 34 pitches. He struck out five across two innings and topped out at 97.9 mph with his fastball, while baffling Oakland hitters with a changeup that dipped between 86 and 88.5 mph.

It was more of the same Monday against Seattle as Smith fanned Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh with two runners on base in the fifth inning and worked around a leadoff walk to Ty France in the sixth by striking out Dominic Canzone and Luis Urias before JP Crawford grounded out to end the frame. Crawford’s grounder was just the second ball put in play against Smith in his two big league outings.

Last season, Smith split time between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, posting a combined 4.02 ERA and 95 strikeouts and 28 walks in 62 2/3 innings. He led Cleveland’s farm system with 13 saves in 2022 and again in 2023 with 15. It earned him an invitation to big league training camp where he posted a 2.00 ERA and 12 punchouts with no walks in nine innings.

With the bullpen beset by injuries and illness during Cactus League play. Smith found himself in position to make the club. Trevor Stephan was sidelined for the season due to reconstructive elbow surgery and Sam Hentges remains on the injured list while recovering from a sore finger. Smith’s early contributions have not only been a pleasant surprise, they’ve been necessary to keep Cleveland’s bullpen afloat.

A native of Vancouver, the Canadian-born righty said the success he’s found thus far comes from knowing himself and what he is capable of.

“I know the things that I do well, and so there’s a huge effort just to continually remind myself to do the things that I do well and stick with that and trust it,” Smith said. “Just so that I can be free to go out there and compete with a relaxed and kind of calm approach.”

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Gavin Williams will return to Goodyear, Arizona and go through a second version of spring training after throwing a bullpen session Monday for the big-league club in Seattle. He is recovering from a sore right elbow.Carolyn Kaster, AP


Runway to 2024 gets longer for former No. 1 pick: Guardians takeaways

Updated: Apr. 03, 2024, 12:11 a.m.|Published: Apr. 02, 2024, 9:17 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

SEATTLE -- Baseball season waits for no one. Especially for injured players.

Right-hander Gavin Williams threw a bullpen session on Monday and was given the all clear by Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis and the rest of the organization’s gurus. Now he’ll return to the team’s training site in Goodyear, Arizona.

“Gavin needs to start over,” said manager Stephen Vogt.

Williams was one of the highlights of early spring. In his first two Cactus League starts, he struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings. Then he tweaked his right elbow during a weighed-ball drill and hasn’t pitched in a game since March 5.

“He’s going to have to be built back up,” said Vogt.

While Williams essentially has to go through spring training again, Carlos Carrasco has a chance to retain a spot in the rotation. He started Sunday in Oakland, allowing three runs on six hits in a five-inning no-decision.

Left-hander Sam Hentges (left middle finger) is expected to throw a bullpen session when the Guardians are in Minneapolis to end this trip. Hentges, being a reliever, won’t need as much time to regain his arm strength as Williams.

Rehab central

Right-handers Xzavion Curry and Ben Lively will make rehab starts for Class AAA Columbus on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, against Omaha. Curry and Lively opened the year on the 15-day injured list after suffering from a viral infection during spring training.

Infielder Angel Martinez, one of Cleveland’s top hitters in spring training, will begin his rehab assignment this week at Columbus. He opened the year on the injured list with a bruised right foot.

Question of velocity

The Guardians didn’t see the kind of velocity they have seen in the past from Triston McKenzie in his first start of the season on Monday.

“The fastball velocity was 90 to 91,” said pitching coach Carl Willis. “But he had about 20 inches of ride on that fastball, so that fastball is playing higher than the velocity.

“Really it came down to execution. Triston threw some really good sliders, sliders that we really liked. He threw some sliders that were non-competitive. They cost him pitches.”

Willis said that’s something they’ll address in McKenzie’s next bullpen session.

“If you really go back and look at it, there was a 1-1 fastball out over the plate after a couple of walks that was the difference in the game,” said Willis. “The stuff is there. It comes down to execution.”

Cleveland native Dominic Canzone, a 2016 graduate of Walsh Jesuit High School, turned that 1-1 pitch into a three-run homer in the second inning of Seattle’s 5-4 win.

McKenzie was limited to four starts last year because of a teres major strain in his right shoulder and a strained UCL in his right elbow.

“There’s nothing at this point to indicate he’s not healthy,” said Willis. “He says he feels great. We haven’t seen the same velocity we’ve seen in the past, but with the profile he has with his fastball, if he can hit the right spots with it that we’re hoping to access, than he can be successful.

“We believe the velocity is probably going to come.”

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Vogt 'thrilled' with Guards' offensive approach to begin '24


By Doug Miller

April 3, 2024

SEATTLE -- Stephen Vogt has been in the skipper’s seat for a week’s worth of games in his Major League career, but he’s already making this managerial thing look easy.

Take his comments prior to his team’s 8-0 rout of the Mariners on Wednesday afternoon at T-Mobile Park in which his offense ambushed Seattle’s All-Star right-hander, George Kirby, to the tune of eight runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

“I couldn't be more thrilled with the way our hitters are attacking,” Vogt said. “We're going need to run the bases hard, to be aggressive. We're not going to get [a grand slam] every night. So we need to take advantage of the extra 90 feet.”

Vogt, a former big league catcher, was on the Mariners’ coaching staff last year, so he knows Kirby well. The idea was to attack the strike-throwing Kirby early and often in the zone, use team speed to pressure Seattle into submission, and hope that left-hander Logan Allen would keep the Guardians in the game with a quality start.

Mission accomplished on all fronts, and it didn’t take long, either.

Cleveland scored three times in the first inning and twice more in the second, jumping out to a five-run lead that Allen wouldn’t come close to relinquishing. The Guardians did it in myriad ways, taking advantage of hard contact, a few breaks on soft hits that found patches of outfield green, and mistakes made by the Mariners.

n the first inning, Steven Kwan led off with a single, moved to second when Kirby hit Andrés Giménez with a pitch and then scored on José Ramírez's double to the wall in right field. Josh Naylor followed with an RBI groundout and Will Brennan singled home another run to make it 3-0.

In the second, Brayan Rocchio led off with a single, and Kwan followed with a bloop single that pushed Rocchio to third. Giménez doubled to score another run, and two batters later, Naylor lofted a fly ball to shallow left field and Kwan darted home to barely elude Mariners catcher Seby Zavala’s tag, on a call that was confirmed after Seattle challenged it.

Cleveland tacked on three more in the fourth inning, with Ramírez hitting another RBI double, Naylor hitting another sac fly and Brennan hitting another RBI single. That ended Kirby’s day after 3 2/3 innings, a day after getting four runs on 10 hits against Seattle’s ace, Luis Castillo.

“Those two [starting pitchers] are very, very good, but we go up with a good game plan and take advantage of mistakes, so we were fortunate to jump on them,” Vogt said. “Like I said, our guys have been having great at-bats all spring and all season so far. So [we] just want to keep it rolling.”

Meanwhile, Allen cruised through 6 2/3 scoreless innings, limiting Seattle to four hits while striking out six and walking three. He threw 93 pitches, 64 of which were strikes. He only allowed more than one baserunner in an inning in the first, and he got out of that jam by inducing a popout to shortstop by Mitch Garver.

In the fifth inning, he gave up a leadoff double to Luis Urías but got the next three outs in order, and in the sixth, he quickly erased a leadoff single by Jorge Polanco by inducing a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Mitch Haniger and then getting Garver to fly out to right.

Allen might have had to wait out a few 15-minute innings in 52-degree spring weather while his offense built its lead, but Allen said he was just fine with that.

“I told them I want to do it every time,” Allen said with a smile. "I hope every game out there I have to wait 20 minutes. Like I told them today -- [today is the] best-case scenario and I'll appreciate that [every] time.”

The Guardians now depart for a three-game set in Minnesota with a 5-2 record and a blueprint for success that was carried out to near perfection on Wednesday.

Kwan had three hits and scored three times. He has four multi-hit games in the Guardians’ first seven. Rocchio has a four-game hitting streak. Bo Naylor reached base twice on strikeouts with wild pitches.

Josh Naylor had three RBIs without a hit -- the first time that has happened for the Cleveland franchise since July 31, 1964, when Bob Chance did it vs. Detroit. And Ramírez, who played in his 1,300th career game on Wednesday, was 2-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs.

It might not happen like this all the time, but the potential is there, and Cleveland is excited about the next 155 games and, possibly, beyond.

When asked about running the bases hard and applying pressure to pitchers and defense, Rocchio nodded instantly, aware that this is now his team’s trademark for 2024.

“That's the key to win games,” he said. “That's the [most important] part of this team.”

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Jose Ramirez has only one homer so far this season. He was robbed of his second and third homers by the A's centerfielder who went over the wall to make a couple of spectacular catches, he narrowly missed a fourth when the M's centerfielder made a running/leaping catch at the wall, A fifth and sixth were off the wall, and a seventh one hopped the wall and an eighth wedged between the wall and the turf. Man! The final four hits went for doubles. I think I'm going to UPS a carton of Wheaties to Jose.

Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio.


Rookie is settling in nicely at shortstop: Guardians takeaways

Updated: Apr. 04, 2024, 6:38 p.m.|Published: Apr. 04, 2024, 5:35 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- It has not taken rookie Brayan Rocchio long to get comfortable at shortstop or the plate.

Rocchio entered Thursday’s game against Twins hitting .304 (7 for 23) with four doubles and two RBI. It’s still early in the season, but he leads AL rookies in hits, doubles, extra base hits and total bases.

Defensively, Rocchio turned in the play of the young season in the ninth inning Wednesday in an 8-0 win over Seattle. He made a diving stop in the hole against Mitch Garver in the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park, somehow got to his feet and threw him out for the first out of the inning.

“It was emotional for me,” said Rocchio, when asked about the play. “In Oakland somebody hit me the same ground ball and I didn’t make the play. Now I made it.

“I’m happy because I did it the right way and I helped the pitcher, too.”

Rocchio came into spring training trying to win the shortstop’s job. He was competing primarily with Gabriel Arias. When camp ended, manager Stephen Vogt said Rocchio would get most of the playing time at short, while Arias filled a utility role.

A strong winter ball season in Venezuela helped Rocchio win the job. Playing for his hometown team of La Guaira, the switch-hitter batted .377 (23 for 61) in 20 games. He helped La Guaira win the Venezuelan league champion for the first time in 38 years.

“The biggest thing for me with Brayan was winter ball,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “I think it helped the kid tremendously. Getting to play every day for his hometown team and winning a championship. Winter ball prepares you for the big leagues better than any minor league level.

“The pressure is higher, especially playing for your hometown team. He’s just shown a lot of confidence knowing he’s going to be at short the majority of the time. I couldn’t be more happy with the way Rocchio is playing right now.”

Rocchio said his experience in winter ball really helped.

“I came to camp prepared from what I did during the offseason,” he said. “That’s why I was confident.”

He was also coming off a good year at Class AAA Columbus in which he hit .280 (131 for 468) with 33 doubles, six triples, seven homers and 65 runs. Rocchio stole 25 bases in 32 attempts and scored 81 runs.

Testing, testing, testing

Lefty Sam Hentges threw a bullpen session before Thursday’s game to test the swollen middle finger on his pitching hand. He will travel with the team to Cleveland after the Twins series to continue his rehab.

Right-hander Xzavion Curry threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings for Columbus on Wednesday. He struck out seven and walked one as the Clippers beat Omaha, 3-0.

Curry is on a rehab assignment after opening the year on the injured list because of a viral infection. The Guardians would like to keep him as a starter. In spring training, he bounced between the rotation and bullpen.

Kyle Manzardo homered and drove in all of the Clippers’ runs.

Finally

The Progressive Field playing surface has been resodded following construction on the ballpark over the winter. Word is the new turf looks good ...

Steven Kwan collected his 29th three-hit game Wednesday in Seattle. He entered Thursday’s game tied with Houston’s Yainer Diaz for the AL lead in hits with 12 each.

Diaz, of course, is the minor league catcher the Guardians traded to the Astros for Myles Straw ...

Here’s another Kwan number: He entered Thursday’s game leading the AL with nine runs. Teammates Andres Gimenez and Jose Ramirez were tied for second with eight each.

[ Hurry back Sam and Xzavion ! Barlow and Gaddis have done ok jobs, but I just don't have the confidence in them that I would have with Hentges and Curry. I close my eyes and keep my fingers crossed when Barlow and Gaddis enter the games. ]


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Guardians left fielder and leadoff hitter Steven Kwan singles in the ninth inning Thursday at Target Field. Kwan had three hits as the Guardians beat the Twins, 4-2, in Minnesota's home opener.A


For Guardians good things start at top of the lineup with Steven Kwan

Updated: Apr. 04, 2024, 10:23 p.m.|Published: Apr. 04, 2024, 10:14 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- Steven Kwan puts the go in the Guardians.

Pablo Lopez started Thursday’s home opener for the Twins by retiring nine straight Guardians. There was no score in the game, but it did not look good for the road-weary Guards, who played their first seven games of the season in Oakland and Seattle before landing in Minneapolis on Wednesday night for Thursday’s opener.

“Pablo is one of the best pitchers in the league,” said Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt. “He was cruising the first time through the lineup. The second time through, our guys got some energy and got going.”

Kwan started it with a single to left. Andres Gimenez and Jose Ramirez followed with singles for a 1-0 lead. Tyler Freeman’s single and a sacrifice fly by Will Brennan made it 3-0 in what eventually became a 4-2 Guardians victory.

It all started with Kwan.

“With Kwanie, it’s go time,” said Vogt. “What he means to the top of this lineup, and the team in general, you can’t say enough about. He got us going today just like he has all year so far.”

Kwan went 3 for 5 with a double and two singles as the Guardians improved to 6-2. It was his second straight three-hit game and third of the season. Since 2022 when Kwan debuted with the Guards, he has 30 three-hit games.

“I would love to keep that going,” said Kwan with a laugh. “It was up to me, I’d do it every time.”

Remember, Amed Rosario? The former Guardians shortstop was the king of the four-hit game. Once he got one or two hits, it was even money he’d end up with four or five.

Kwan will never turn down a hit, but he knows that this can be the most mercurial of games.

“I’m just trying to put a good swing on it,” said Kwan. “Even my first hit, it wasn’t a barrel by any means. If it was up to me, I’d love to do that. But that’s just baseball.”

Kwan is hitting .385 (15 for 39) with 10 runs, two doubles, one home run and three RBI. He has started all eight of Cleveland’s game.

He followed his fourth-inning single with a double in the fifth and a single in the ninth.

The top of the Guardians’ lineup is turning dangerous to oppositing pitchers. In the last two games, here’s what Kwan, Gimenez and Ramirez have done:

.444 batting average.
12 hits
27 at-bats
nine runs
four RBI
Kwan said the Guardians were just as aggressive last year on the bases as they have been at the start of this year. He said the one difference might be in game planning.

“I think maybe we may be sticking to our plan a little better (against the starting pitcher),” said Kwan. “We go into a game with it, and something changes we can audible, but it’s been working out.”

One change is that Vogt likes to hit Andres Gimenez in the No. 2 spot right behind Kwan. Last year Gimenez only started 18 games in the No.2 spot because former manager Terry Francona didn’t like the idea of hitting two left-handed hitters consecutively at the top of the lineup.

Gimenez made his eighth start in the No. 2 spot Thursday.

“There’s a lot of action stuff with Andres hitting second,” said Kwan. “He likes to swing the bat. It’s almost like pseudo hit-and-runs happen. You get the runner in motion, put the ball in play and good things happen.”

Said Vogt, “I like the at-bats he puts together to get on base for Jose and Nails (Josh Naylor). He’ll take a walk, he’ll bunt, he can hit for power. For me he fits really well in that No. 2 hole.”

Gimenez is hitting .300 (9 for 30) with eight runs, four doubles, one triple and six RBI. In the No. 3 spot, Ramirez is hitting .263 (10 for 38) with nine runs, two doubles, one triple, one homer and seven RBI.

“Overall, the balls are falling right now,” said Kwan. “That’s really fortunate.”


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With a chip on his shoulder, Bibee on path to past dominance

By Mandy Bell @MandyBell02

April 4, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS -- The frustration was oozing out of Tanner Bibee as he chose his words after his first start of the 2024 season just five days ago.

There could’ve been a handful of things Bibee nitpicked about his outing, but the one thing he thought was the difference in the game was the five walks he allowed in four innings. And if there’s anything he proved in his runner-up Rookie of the Year campaign last year, he knows how to make adjustments on the fly. That’s exactly what he did on Thursday.

Bibee didn’t allow a single free pass in the series opener against the Twins while racking up nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings in Cleveland’s 4-2 win over Minnesota at Target Field. He grinded through some innings, working around a few hits and battling a high pitch count early that prevented him from completing six frames. However, he corrected the biggest issue from his last start and put his team in position to walk away with its sixth win of the year.

“I think I was just going into this with a little chip on my shoulder,” Bibee said. “Last start was not where I wanted to be.”

To right the ship, Bibee first needed to re-establish his fastball. Without command of that, he wasn’t going to fare much better than he did on Saturday. The righty said doing that was the key to his success Thursday (and for every start he makes). And it allowed his secondary stuff to blossom.

As Guardians manager Stephen Vogt watched Bibee’s first start, he knew the slider wasn’t as sharp as it’s been in the past. This time, that wasn’t the case. Bibee leaned on his slider the most on Thursday and induced seven whiffs among the 12 swings against the offering.

“His slider was sharper today,” Vogt said. “It was the same slider whether it was in the zone or under and he was just executing that better. His changeup was a little more effective today. … And locating the fastball. When you do that, you’re going to [have] one-run baseball.”

Aside from a solo homer by Twins second baseman Edouard Julien, Bibee walked away from this outing largely unscathed. But the Guardians wanted to split up Bibee and Shane Bieber in the rotation for a reason. They know that these guys can provide the length required to save the bullpen on most nights they get the ball. As Bibee’s strikeout totals went up, so did his pitch count, prompting him to leave the game after 5 1/3 frames.

“I’m always trying to be aware of my pitch count,” Bibee said. “[It determines] whether I have to really attack these guys or whether I have some room for error.”

Bibee still isn’t in peak form, and no one is expecting him to be just two starts into the season. But Thursday’s outing showed he’s on the right path toward being the dominant hurler he was last year. Now that he’s starting to get comfortable with his arsenal, the next step for Bibee will be honing in on his efficiency so he can become that reliable innings-eater that he proved he could be in ‘23.

“I’m always trying to be aware of my pitch count,” Bibee said. “[It determines] whether I have to really attack these guys or whether I have some room for error.”

A few days ago, Bibee stood in front of his locker in Oakland, struggling to come up with anything to say as his disappointment in himself took over. This time around was much different. The clubhouse erupted as he was speaking to media after the game, yelling things to make him laugh and lose his train of thought. It wasn’t a first-week-of-the-season vibe. This felt like a team in the thick of a division race … only in April.

Bibee isn’t the only one with a chip on his shoulder. His whole team feels the same way, and the camaraderie they continue to establish and build upon is adding an energy to the clubhouse that wasn’t there in 2023. It only grew stronger against their division rivals.

“These games inherently mean the most,” Bibee said. “The division can decide whether we go to the playoffs or not, so it’s important to win these games.”


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Guardians catcher Bo Naylor (23) and closer Emmanuel Clase hug after a 4-2 win over the Twins on Thursday at Target Field. Clase earned his third save of the season by retiring the Twins in order in the ninth.AP

Friday is the pause that refreshes: Guardians breakfast

Updated: Apr. 05, 2024, 2:46 p.m.|Published: Apr. 05, 2024, 8:24 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- On Friday the Guardians rested. They earned it.

The Guards are 6-2 on this 10-game season-opening trip. Manager Stephen Vogt said his players welcomed the first day off of the regular season.

“They are dragging, but they don’t show it,” said Vogt after Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Twins. “It’s a testament to our medical staff and our strength and conditioning staff for keeping them fresh and keeping their bodies going. And it comes down to players’ hard work and bringing the energy, even when they don’t feel 100%. They do that day in and day out.”

Said catcher Bo Naylor, “Whenever you have an off day, you want to take advantage of it and make sure you spend it the right way. You want to make sure you come to the park ready for the next game. It has been fun. The group has been great. The energy has been really good. "

The Guardians started this trip with four straight games in Oakland. Then it was three straight in Seattle. Thursday’s game at Target Field made eight straight road games.

“That’s what this game is, a grind,” said Naylor. “It will take a lot out of you. As long as we come prepared each and every day, I think we’ll take care of business whenever we can.”

Well noted

The 6-2 Guardians are off to their best start after the first eight games of the season since they opened the 2011 season at 6-2. They finished 80-82 that year under Manny Acta.

Cleveland is 17-7 in the last 24 games against the Twins. In that stretch they’re 8-3 at Target Field.

Reliever Scott Barlow, in his last six appearances against the Twins, has 13 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.

Steven Kwan, following his 3 for 5 game Thursday, is a career .347 (25 for 72) hitter with an .903 OPS in 17 games at Target Field.

Thursday’s game

Tanner Bibee struck out nine in 5 1/3 innings as the Guardians opened this three-game series with a 4-2 win to ruin the Twins’ home opener.

Bibee (1-0, 3.86) pitched into and out of trouble most of the game. He stranded a runner on third in the first and left the bases loaded in the second while allowing just one run.

“Tanner was electric,” said Bo Naylor. “The fastball had life and I pretty much felt he could put the off-speed stuff wherever he wanted. He made my job of calling the pitches really easy.”

Four relievers were needed to close the deal, with Emmanuel Clase pitching the ninth for his third save. Clase is 18 for 18 in save opportunities against Minnesota.

The Guards sent seven men to the plate while taking a 3-0 lead in the fourth off Pablo Lopez. Steven Kwan, Andrés Giménez and José Ramírez started the inning with consecutive singles.

What’s next

Here what’s next for the Guardians following Friday’s off day.

The Guardians will start RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-0, 5.40) Saturday, while the Twins start RHP Joe Ryan (0-0, 1.69) Saturday. Game time is 2:10 p.m. ET. Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the game.

The Guardians will start RHP Triston McKenzie (0-1, 10.80) Sunday. The Twins will start RHP Bailey Ober (0-1, 54.00) on Sunday. Game time is 2:10 p.m. ET. Bally Sports Great Lakes and WTAM will carry the game.

The Guardians open the home season on April 8 with a three-game series against the White Sox. RHP Shane Bieber (2-0, 0.00) will start the home opener for Cleveland. The game will start at 5:07 p.m. to allow the solar eclipse to come and go.

The Yankees come to Progressive Field for a three-game set starting April 12.


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Moving Hunter Gaddis to the bullpen has paid off for Cleveland through its first eight games.MLB Photos via Getty Images

GUARDIANS

Guardians bullpen passing early tests: ‘We have so much confidence in these guys’

Updated: Apr. 05, 2024, 3:22 p.m.|Published: Apr. 05, 2024, 5:05 a.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Beset by injuries and illness during spring training, the Guardians bullpen appeared to be one of the club’s biggest question marks. But after a whirlwind eight consecutive games to start the season, the relievers have proven resilient, and now look more like a source of strength and reassurance for manager Stephen Vogt’s club.

“We have so much confidence in these guys out there,” Vogt said after three Guardians relievers turned things over to closer Emmanuel Clase for his third save in three chances during Thursday’s 4-2 win at Minnesota.

“Your job is to hold the lead, that’s it,” Vogt said. “Your job is to come in and hold the lead and those guys did it today.”

With very few exceptions, Guardians relievers have been at the top of their game since last week’s opener in Oakland, leading the American League with 35 strikeouts and a sparkling 10.99 strikeouts per nine innings.

Granted, the sample size is small, but Cleveland currently ranks among the AL’s top five in ERA, WHIP, opponent batting average and earned runs allowed, despite throwing the second-most innings (28 2/3) behind only Oakland.

Right-hander Hunter Gaddis has been a revelation in four appearances out of the bullpen. Gaddis has struck out five and not walked a batter, totaling four hits allowed in 3 2/3 innings thus far.

He entered Thursday’s game in a sticky spot with one out an two runners on base in the seventh, facing Twins slugger Byron Buxton. After getting ahead in the count, Gaddis whiffed Buxton on a beautiful changeup off the inside corner of the plate. Gaddis did uncork a wild pitch that allowed Willi Castro to score from third, but he then got Max Kepler to pop out and end the inning with Cleveland’s lead intact.

Mainly a starter in his career until injuries to Trevor Stephan and James Karinchak forced him into a relief role during spring training, Gaddis said the confidence Vogt talks about comes from the sense of camaraderie circulating throughout the clubhouse.

“It’s just a brotherhood in here,” Gaddis said. “We’re having so much fun. We all love each other.”

Gaddis said having to stay ready at a moment’s notice in the bullpen provides a different kind of rush.

“As a starter, you’ve got four days off, so you really just get your work done in about an hour a day and you’re done,” he said. “Now, you get your work done and then you’ve got to be ready whenever your name’s called. I kind of like just getting thrown in whenever the name’s called. So far, I’m really enjoying this.”

Vogt praised Gaddis for not blinking in the face of Thursday’s challenge.

“Gaddi did unbelievable,” Vogt said. “That’s not an easy spot to come into for anybody, let alone somebody who’s not got a whole lot of experience coming out of the bullpen.”

Gaddis is not the only reliever off to an impressive start. Left-hander Tim Herrin punched out a pair of Twins hitters despite giving up his first earned run of the season, and newcomer Scott Barlow struck out the side in the eighth with the tying run at the plate.

“Timmy Herrin came in and did his job, and I can’t say enough about Barlow either,” Vogt said. “He gives up the leadoff double and then punches the next three guys out. It was huge.”

Other relievers who have stood out through the club’s first eight games include:

Rookie Cade Smith, who leads the bullpen with nine strikeouts and has only allowed three base runners in 4 1/3 innings.
Newcomer Tyler Beede, who has six punchouts and just one walk in four frames.
Nick Sandlin, who has not allowed an earned run in four appearances, despite walking three batters.
Clase, who had already blown a save in three chances through the first eight games last year. He remains unscored upon in 2024.
At this point, Eli Morgan’s 7.71 ERA in 2 1/3 innings across four outings is the only red flag in an otherwise solid bullpen group. Morgan, who averaged 10 strikeouts per nine innings last season, has yet to record a punchout among the 11 batters he’s faced.

Stephan’s season-ending injury and Sam Hengtes’ finger issue created opportunities for Gaddis and others to step into relief roles coming out of camp. As Hentges and starter Gavin Williams inch closer to returning, the impressions made during the opening road trip could go a long way toward determining who stays and who goes once Hentges, Williams and eventually Karinchak are ready.

In the meantime during the early part of the season, Vogt said bullpen roles will continue to be “organic.”

“They have the versatility to throw in leverage, in length, up game or down game,” Vogt said. “There are some guys who are solidifying themselves in leverage roles, and some other guys who are doing great jobs in non-leverage situations.”

Beede said the relievers knew coming into the season with Stephan and Karinchak sidelined that they would have to piece together the back end and some leverage spots with some pitchers who have less experience in those roles.

“For the new guys it’s a matter of doing what we can,” Beede said. “Filling the spots that we need to fill and getting high quality outs when we need to.”

Brad Goldberg, who took over as bullpen coach this season after the departure of Rigo Beltran, described a bullpen as a “living organism” that is constantly changing.

“I don’t know if it ever ‘settles in,’ especially with these injuries and a new manager,” Goldberg said. “Eventually water finds its own level, and guys take advantage of opportunities.”


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Cade Smith sets club record in MLB debut

Can We Trust the Bullpen — Version 1.0

Evolution is a mystery...

By Matt_Seese Apr 5, 2024, 8:00am EDT 24 Comments / 24 New

This is the first edition of Can We Trust the Bullpen? Once a month, I will take a look at the bullpen as a whole and try to answer this question, and after last season, we could be in for quite the ride, so strap in!

Heading into 2024, we all knew the bullpen would have quite the different feel to it for a plethora of reasons. With Terry Francona retiring, a much younger, more analytically inclined manager in Stephen Vogt found his way into the head job. Then there was a trade that saw Enyel De Los Santos go to the Padres in return for longtime Royal turned Padre, Scott Barlow. Then came the injuries to Sam Hentges and Trevor Stephan. All of a sudden, this bullpen is just a few familiar faces that’s keeping your year to year sanity intact.

Relief pitching is weird. It’s widely regarded as the most volatile position in sports, and for good reason. Scott Barlow was a career 4-ERA guy before 2021 when he saw a stretch of 140 appearances in Kansas City over the next two years where he posted a 2.30 ERA. It’s a position of constant reassurance and adjustment, and fans are going through that same experience right now with this group.

Heading into the Minnesota series, the Guardians bullpen ranks fifth in ERA. However, they are 15th in xFIP. This discrepancy is largely to do with their 13.1% walk rate, a mark sitting at 25th in the league right now. They’re just giving up baserunners for nothing right now. Scott Barlow and Nick Sandlin are both running walk rates above 20% at the moment while Eli Morgan and Tim Herrin are seeing their’s sit at 18.2% each. Again, small sample size, but what I’m about to talk about next is the evolution of this bullpen that we are already seeing form before our eyes, and I don’t think the amount of games played thus far is going to affect it much.

[ As I mentioned a couple of days ago, this was my main concern. I think we've been very fortunate so far regarding the bullpen.

they are 15th in xFIP. This discrepancy is largely to do with their 13.1% walk rate, a mark sitting at 25th in the league right now. They’re just giving up baserunners for nothing right now. Scott Barlow and Nick Sandlin are both running walk rates above 20% at the moment while Eli Morgan and Tim Herrin are seeing their’s sit at 18.2% each.

When 75% of your pitches are coming in between 75 & 85 mph, those off speed pitches will eventually bite you in the arse especially when they start crossing the plate for strikes. Personally, rookies or not, there are 3 or 4 power arms down on the farm that I would love to see replacing Barlow, Sandlin, Morgan, and Herrin. I close my eyes and cross my fingers when those gentlemen toe the rubber ]

Role Call

Ol’ Reliables

NICK SANDLIN

The Sandman has been here for a bit, and he is steady as he goes. Sandlin was very good last year up until the All-Star break. Post-ASB, he posted a 5.19 ERA, giving up 8 home runs in 26 innings of work. Teams slugged .485 against him over the last three months, so it’s imperative that he gets back on track this season given the injuries that will likely force him into high leverage spots almost routinely.

Overall, this is where early numbers require a deeper look. Sandlin’s walk rate is ballooned over 20% right now, but it’s because he walked three batters in Monday’s game against Seattle. Outside of that, he’s been a strike thrower who is missing bats and generating whiffs on 44% of opponent’s swings.

One MAJOR factor to keep an eye on with Sandlin: splitter usage. He’s always had the club in his bag, but now he’s actually using it. It’s usage is sitting at 18.8%. Something to keep an eye on for sure.

EMMANUEL CLASE

I have my concerns with Clase and not missing bats, but thus far, the chase rate is back up over 42%, up from 30.8% last season and closer to where he was in 2022, and I don’t think Vogt will overuse him the same way Francona had been. I still think he needs a third pitch that moves the other way, but when you have a cutter and slider like he does, you create the anomaly.

New Faces

CADE SMITH

Early on, the the strikeouts from this bullpen thus far that has opened my eyes substantially as well as the usage of each pitcher. When the Opening Day rosters were announced, there were some surprises that made the cut. With the aforementioned injuries to Sam Hentges and Trevor Stephan, all eyes turned to Stephen Vogt to see who he would slot to fill those holes and roles, and slowly but surely, we are seeing the bullpen’s roles evolve. Enter Cade Smith and Tyler Beede.

Cade Smith stands at 6-foot-5 and has been a reliever since the word go when Cleveland signed him for a mere $20,000 dollars in 2020 after not being selected in the shortened 2020 MLB Draft, and he is on this roster for one reason only: strikeouts. The team’s 25th ranked prospect has faced 16 batters in his three appearances thus far, and he’s fanned nine of them. Just three batters have reached base with only one doing so because they put the ball in play. His fastball is electric, sitting between 93-96, but it plays up quite well.

The perceived velocity on his fastball due to his extension off the mound plays up closer to 98 mph. He also has a splitter that can tumble through the zone, causing a lot of whiffs and groundballs. The intrigue with Smith will be seeing where Vogt utilizes him moving forward because as we’re about to discuss, the opportunity for higher leverage innings are abundant as no one else who’s been on a big league roster feels inclined in taking one and running with it.

TYLER BEEDE

Tyler Beede has had quite the journey up to this point. Beede saw time in San Francisco shortened due to injury, and then in 2023, he went over to Japan and pitched for the Yomiuri Giants. The former standout at Vanderbilt is now 30 years old, and he’s looking for a fresh start stateside. Beede rocks primarily a three to four pitch-mix that sees him throw a 4-seam fastball, splitter, and curveball with the occasional sinker mixed in. With Beede, he still very much feels like an unknown as to what we’ll get out of him. He was the biggest surprise to make the roster, but thus far, he’s been solid. He’s had two outings already this season where he’s thrown his fastball fewer than 5% of the time. He’s going to find a way.

SCOTT BARLOW

I sang praises for the front office’s move in acquiring Barlow, but I definitely have my concerns. The velo struggles he had in San Diego are still prevalent early on this season, but Barlow has always had great extension, so it’s not as impactful to his overall stuff as it could be. Barlow also has a very effective slider and curveball that generate tons of horizontal movement across the zone that have made him so effective for the past three seasons.

Barlow, in contrast to the previous two new faces to this bullpen, does have expectations to not just perform for this unit, but to perform in higher leverage spots. Thus far, it’s not been as big of a deal solely because the offense thinks it’s 1995 again (and I hope that maintains), but as the season progresses, Barlow will be leaned on for bigger spots in the 7th and 8th innings which is why he was brought here in favor to Enyel De Los Santos.

Low Leverage Crew

ELI MORGAN

It pains me to say this, but I don’t think Eli Morgan is going to be on this roster for very long unless something within his performance changes soon. The struggles from mid-2022 carried over into 2023 and have now carried into 2024. His stuff simply does not play out of the bullpen the way it needs to in order to be consistently effective. Yes, the Josh Rojas double that took a 4-0 game at Seattle and made it way harder than it needed to be was a very lucky hit, but how we got to that spot was all Eli.

Raleigh jumped on a weak fastball for a single, and then Morgan walked Ty France on five pitches. It’s a 4-0 game. The entire reason Morgan is in the game here is because he attacks the zone, so issuing free passes is never the answer. The Rojas double led to Morgan getting yanked after recording just one out, and Scott Barlow had to come in and face Julio Rodriguez as the tying run which thankfully resulted in a long flyball out and only a couple years off my life. It’s been the same song and dance with Morgan for a year-and-a-half now. I don’t know how much longer this holds.

HUNTER GADDIS

This isn’t really a surprise, but Hunter Gaddis’s fastball is exploding out of his hand now that he’s in a bullpen role. That being said, I’m not the biggest fan of the rest of his stuff. His slider tends to find too much middle and gets punished, and he’s using his changeup way less thus far (18.2% in 2023 to 7.3% in 2024) despite it being his best pitch. We’ll see with Gaddis, but I don’t think being a fastball/slider type of reliever will work out in the long run.

Too Soon to Tell

TIM HERRIN

Herrin currently brings up the rear in total batters faced, seeing just 11 in his three appearances. As of right now, he seems destined to slot into the low leverage crew, but given his stuff and how the ball looks out of his hand, this team could really use him making a leap this season.

VERDICT:

TBD, but concerned

We’re just a week in, so I won’t move off of my “too soon to tell, but concerned” dial for now. I don’t think this unit has enough competitive arms to do what is needed long-term. However, once the bullpen gets Hentges back, I think they’ll be in a better spot to flesh out what they’re able to get out of Cade Smith as well as Tim Herrin. I do think if they are competitive come July, a move needs to be made to go get a rental reliever, but for now, it’s time to observe in silence.


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Where do Shane Bieber and the Cleveland Guardians go from here?

Zack Meisel


Cleveland’s starting rotation has been the team’s backbone for a decade, and the group entered this season with a ton of potential — and fragility.

Shane Bieber embodied both qualities, rediscovering his award-winning self on the mound, all while his elbow screamed with each pitch. Now, he’s headed for season-ending Tommy John surgery, leaving his future uncertain and the Guardians’ rotation in early-season disarray, putting a damper on the club’s 6-2 start.
Where does this leave the rotation?

In a precarious spot.

They need Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen to fend off any sophomore-year setbacks. They need Triston McKenzie, who also dealt with a balky elbow last year, to stay healthy. They need Gavin Williams, another member of the Tender Elbow Club, to make a swift-but-certain recovery. Williams is a few weeks from pitching in a big-league game, team president Chris Antonetti said Saturday.

So, it’s Bibee, Allen, McKenzie and then a bunch of patchwork. Carlos Carrasco and Tyler Beede clawed their way onto the Opening Day roster after signing minor-league deals with the organization. Carrasco is in the rotation, and Beede, who was stretched out as a starter in camp, has pitched out of the pen thus far.

Xzavion Curry and Ben Lively both missed time in spring training because of a virus. They have each logged one rehab start at Triple-A Columbus as they build back up. Antonetti said either could be an option. Curry threw 53 pitches in his tune-up; Lively threw 45.

Left-handed prospect Joey Cantillo could have been a candidate, but he’s out for a couple of months with a strained hamstring. Hunter Gaddis, who has shifted to a relief role, is expected to remain there.

Carrasco and McKenzie are starting the final two games of the club’s series in Minnesota this weekend. Allen will slide up one day and start Cleveland’s home opener on Monday in place of Bieber. Bibee could pitch on regular rest Tuesday, but after that, the team will sort through its options. In the meantime, they called up reliever Peter Strzelecki on Saturday to assume Bieber’s roster spot.

Manager Stephen Vogt said his message to the team Saturday was, “It’s OK to not be OK. But this is what it is. We have an opportunity to go out and play every day. The next-man-up mentality is what we have to be thinking about. You can’t replace Shane Bieber. But we do have guys who can step up and give us meaningful innings.”
What does this mean for Bieber’s future?

This isn’t what he had in mind when he resisted long-term contract offers from the club. He’ll enter free agency this winter, having missed significant time in 2021 (shoulder strain), 2023 (elbow soreness), and 2024 (elbow surgery). Since the Tommy John procedure recovery timeline is usually more than a year, he could also miss a decent chunk of 2025.

It’s a hard landing for Bieber, who has proven that, when healthy, he’s among the league’s most effective starters. Since the start of the 2019 season — his first full year in the majors — he has a 3.02 ERA and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Even after his fastball velocity plunged and he lost trust in his curveball, he reinvented himself in 2022, leaning more on his cutter and slider and logging 200 innings with a 2.88 ERA.

This season, he totaled 20 strikeouts in his first two starts. He didn’t allow a run in either outing, which is even more impressive given he didn’t bounce back physically between starts. After he blanked the Mariners on Tuesday, the swelling and soreness in his elbow didn’t subside. That prompted imaging and consultations with several doctors, leading to the diagnosis that his UCL needs repairing.

Bieber turns 29 at the end of May. Might he settle for a two-year deal, in which the mutual hope is a return from injury sometime in Year 1 and an opportunity to rebuild his value in Year 2?

Tyler Mahle, who underwent Tommy John surgery last May, signed that sort of contract with the Rangers. He’ll earn $5.5 million this season, though he isn’t expected to pitch until mid-summer. He’ll earn another $16.5 million next season. (This wouldn’t be the first time Bieber followed in Mahle’s footsteps: When Mahle passed on attending UC Santa Barbara in favor of signing with the Reds out of high school, it opened a spot on the college staff for Bieber, a walk-on pitcher.)

Brandon Woodruff signed a similar deal with the Brewers in February. The Brewers granted him a $2.5 million salary for 2024, even though he’s recovering from shoulder surgery. If they want, they can cut ties after this season or exercise a team option for 2025 (worth $5 million, with a $10 million buyout or $20 million salary for 2026).

Could Bieber strike that sort of arrangement in Cleveland? The home of a vaunted pitching factory seems like a wise place to settle, though the Guardians don’t typically pay for external pitching, especially with increased risk. Perhaps there’s some common ground to strike.

The Guardians fielded trade offers for Bieber over the winter (and even last summer, before he was shut down with elbow soreness), but teams approached it as a buy-low effort and Cleveland didn’t deem anything particularly enticing. By holding onto him, the Guardians positioned themselves to lean on him to contend or move him at the trade deadline. Now, neither is possible.

Bieber made the decision Friday night to undergo surgery in the coming days.

“He’s devastated by it,” Antonetti said. “He feels as though he is letting a lot of people down. And I tried to reassure Shane that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
go-deeper

GO DEEPER

From walk-on to workhorse: The blossoming of Bieber fever
Who’s the most important player in the wake of Bieber’s injury?

It’s McKenzie. This rotation needs a rock, someone to chew up innings at a high level. So, how about the guy who also suffered an elbow injury last year and who has Cleveland holding its collective breath every time he pitches?

Bieber and McKenzie were essentially co-aces in 2022, paving Cleveland’s path to a division title and an AL Division Series appearance. McKenzie, though, made only four starts last season because of a strain in the back of his shoulder and an elbow sprain. He opted to rest his elbow rather than head to the operating table.

McKenzie has reported no injury issues since the end of last season, but his fastball averaged only 90.5 mph in his first start, down nearly two mph from his typical velocity. The Mariners whacked that fastball on Monday, with an average exit velocity of 101.2 mph against the pitch.

Yankees' trade deadline options dwindle further with Guardians injury bombshell

The dream is d

By Adam Weinrib | Apr 6, 2024

The New York Yankees could use an additional starter to supplement their hot start, and a little familiarity between Matt Blake and said addition couldn't hurt.

Unfortunately for all parties involved, the offseason frontrunner for the role -- Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Guardians -- is now unavailable, no matter which twists and turns Cleveland's season takes from hereon out.

It was announced on Saturday that, after battling elbow issues in 2023, the integrity of Bieber's elbow couldn't sustain his own hot start, during which he racked up 20 strikeouts in 12 scoreless frames.

Instead of witnessing the beginning of a Cy Young campaign, Guardians fans (and interested parties throughout the league) were instead witness to another sad reality of modern baseball. For every bounce back, there is an equal and opposite possibility of season-ending surgery. Pitching has never been more dangerous. Now, the Guardians' season sits at a precarious point, but one of the more intriguing trade possibilities -- if things went sideways in Cleveland -- is no longer an option

Yankees trade deadline target Shane Bieber headed for Tommy John surgery

Silver lining (eye roll...)? The Yankees now have a chance to sign Bieber to some sort of backloaded deal and secure him for the second half of 2025; he'll be entering free agency at the worst possible time, and it's difficult not to feel for him, having already given so much without receiving just rewards.

Without Bieber on the trade market, the Yankees will likely turn their attention to the Marlins (Jesus Luzardo, AJ Puk, Ryan Weathers), as well as a few other Cleveland starters with more control (Triston McKenzie, Logan Allen). Perhaps the Angels will fall off far enough to open up trade talks surrounding Reid Detmers?

With more contenders than ever, due to the expanded postseason, it was already going to be difficult enough for the Yankees to find a trade match, given the fact that all contenders seem likely to circle the Marlins and start an historic bidding war. That's why Bieber made so much sense, as Peter Gammons helpfully pointed out just a few weeks ago.

No wonder the Yankees' offseason pursuit of the righty petered out so quickly. The integrity of his right elbow must've been more than just a question mark.


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