Daniel Espino keeps earning more trust from the Guardians, and the latest test came in the kind of spot that says plenty about where he stands right now.
One day after opening Cleveland’s postseason-clinching win at Fenway Park, Espino was back on the mound Friday and handled the sixth inning in a 12-9 victory over Kansas City. He worked a scoreless frame, needed just 13 pitches, struck out Bobby Witt Jr. and picked up the first hold of his career.
For Espino, it was a milestone that had been a long time coming. It was the first time he had pitched on consecutive days as a professional.
“That’s kind of the best way to test yourself,” Espino said. “I’ve been waiting for it the whole year ... Just feeling the way I’m feeling and just seeing how I’m bouncing back, I’m so happy for that, especially during this time of the season.”
That workload is no small thing for a pitcher who spent more than three years unable to compete because of injuries and surgeries. The Guardians have spent this season carefully building him back up, and with October getting closer, they’re now finding out how much they can realistically ask of him.
Friday gave them another encouraging answer.
Espino entered with Cleveland leading 7-5 after Gavin Williams had lasted only 3 1/3 innings. He faced the top of the Royals’ lineup and kept them quiet, finishing the inning by striking out Witt, who later stretched his on-base streak to 22 games.
“We knew we needed to try it at some point,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Tonight was a night where he felt good coming in, didn’t throw too many pitches yesterday. So we felt like tonight was the night to try.”
The day before, Espino had thrown 17 pitches in a scoreless first inning in Cleveland’s 1-0 win at Boston, the game that secured the Guardians’ third straight postseason berth. Joey Cantillo then followed with five shutout innings.
Vogt said the Guardians will keep being careful with Espino, but there’s also a larger goal now that the postseason is here.
“He looked pretty sharp,” Vogt said. “He’s a big-time pitcher.
And again, with what he’s been through, we’re going to continue to be cautious with him. We’re going to continue to take care of him, but at the same time it’s go time and he knows that and he wants that.”
Espino said this season has changed how he views his own body. After working multiple innings in the minors, he started to notice he was recovering well the next day and again after one day of rest.
“This whole year I’ve been feeling really good the day after, and that motivated me more personally like, ‘OK, I can do this,’” Espino said. “At the end it’s just a mental battle.”
The last two days have shown just how far he’s come. Thursday brought the game that sent Cleveland back to the postseason. Friday brought another assignment in a meaningful September game, with the Guardians trying to keep pressure on Chicago in the AL Central race.
For a pitcher who once simply needed to get healthy again, those are the kind of innings that matter. Espino is giving Cleveland more reason to keep using him, and he knows how far that journey has taken him.
“Three years ago it was something that looked far away,” he said. “I’m just so grateful to be part of this organization, to be surrounded by unbelievable teammates and unbelievable leadership.”
In Other News...
Guardians Survived A Wild Royals Fight And Kept Control Of The Central
The Guardians walked into Kauffman Stadium and found plenty of resistance from the Royals, but they still left with a 12-9 win and their grip on first place in the AL Central intact. It was the kind of game that had swings throughout, with Cleveland answering Kansas Citys punches and getting important production from Angel Martinez, David Fry and Jose Ramirez to stay in front of the division race.
Gavin Williams did not have a smooth night on the mound, which only added to the tension in a game that kept changing hands. Cleveland will have to keep sorting through the pitching side as the series moves on, with Michael Wacha and Tanner Bibee scheduled to face off in the next game and another chance for the Guardians to protect that narrow lead. [Read more 🡒]
Chase DeLauter Gives Guardians Fans One More Reason To Believe
Chase DeLauter has given Cleveland plenty to like in his first full season in the majors, turning his 2026 campaign into one of the brighter developments in the Guardians lineup. After debuting in the 2025 postseason, he has settled in as a central piece of the offense, leading the club in batting average and OPS while staying on the field for 131 games. For a team that has leaned on steady production all year, his rise has become one of the clearest reasons for optimism.
Now the Guardians are heading toward a familiar late-season question: can they hold onto first place in the AL Central and line up an ALDS berth? If they do, DeLauter will be back in the October spotlight for his second playoff run, but this time with a full season behind him and a much larger role in what comes next. For Cleveland, that combination is exactly the kind of young-core momentum that can make a postseason path feel a little more real. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Bullpen Depth Just Put One Reliever In A Tough Spot
Connor Brogdon cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Columbus after being designated for assignment by the Guardians, a move that quietly underscores how much bullpen depth has changed around Cleveland in recent weeks. Brogdon had spent the first six weeks of the season in the major league relief mix, but injuries pushed most of his year back into the minors, leaving him in a difficult spot as the roster has gotten healthier and more crowded.
Brogdon will stay around the organization for Cleveland's stay ready camp now that the minor league season is over, which gives him a chance to keep working while his immediate role remains unsettled. He is also expected to become a free agent this offseason, so the next stretch may be less about finding a lane with the Guardians and more about proving he still belongs in the picture somewhere. [Read more 🡒]