The Cleveland Guardians are rolling into Saturday with a different look, hoping the tweaks help them close out their series with the Minnesota Twins.
After opening the three-game set with a 5-2 win on Friday night, Cleveland shuffled the lineup for Game 2. Parker Messick set the pace in the opener, working 5.1 innings, giving up one run and striking out five as the Guardians bounced back after dropping their previous series to the Baltimore Orioles.
Saturday’s order starts with Steven Kwan leading off in center field, followed by José Ramírez, who moves up to the two spot after hitting third on Friday. Chase DeLauter slides into the third spot as the designated hitter.
Jo Adell bats cleanup in right field, with Angel Martinez moving up to fifth. David Fry, who did not play in the series opener, slots in sixth. Travis Bazzana shifts down to seventh while handling second base after batting fifth on Friday.
Austin Hedges stays in the eight hole behind the plate, and Brayan Rocchio remains ninth at shortstop.
Cleveland will also use right-hander Daniel Espino as an opener. He has a 2.70 ERA across nine appearances this season.
The Guardians know what’s at stake. They’re fighting for their playoff lives, and every game carries weight. They’re also sitting within 0.5 games of the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central, so a win over Minnesota would keep the pressure on.
Manager Stephen Vogt said the club isn’t dwelling on setbacks.
“We're not going to let one loss or one series loss get us down,” Vogt said. “We're still right where we need to be. Just going to continue to work and take each game as it is.”
First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. PT/4:10 p.m. ET at Target Field in Minneapolis.
In Other News...
Guardians Face One Offseason Rotation Decision Fans Will Debate
Cleveland has spent this season leaning on a rotation that has stayed remarkably steady, with young arms like Parker Messick, Gavin Williams, Joey Cantillo and Tanner Bibee giving the club a clear base to work from. Even as the Guardians have built around that group, the offseason conversation is already starting to circle one familiar name: Shane Bieber, who is now a free agent after injury struggles and limited starts with the Toronto Blue Jays.
A return to Cleveland would carry obvious appeal on paper, especially for a pitcher who once helped define the staff, but the expectation around the league is that the Guardians will largely keep the current rotation intact going into next season. Foster Griffins status adds another layer to watch, though the bigger question for fans is whether the organization sees any reason to reopen a spot for Bieber or simply move ahead with the young core it has already put in place. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Unlocked More In Craig Yoho Than Milwaukee Did
Craig Yoho has looked like a different reliever since landing with Cleveland in the trade from Milwaukee, and the early returns suggest the Guardians may have found something the Brewers did not fully tap into. In his last 14 innings, he has worked to a 1.29 ERA with 20 strikeouts and just three walks, a run of effectiveness that has fit neatly into the middle-leverage spots Cleveland has been willing to give him.
A big part of the jump appears to be an adjusted pitching approach, especially a heavier dose of his changeup. For a bullpen that always values usable weapons it can trust in the middle innings, Yohos growth is the kind of quiet development that can matter over a long season, even if the full payoff of this version of him is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Which Guardians Hitter Fans Trust Most In Walk Off Spots
Close games have become part of the Guardians daily routine, and the latest reminder came in a series that featured three walk-off victories. For a team that keeps finding itself in those tight, late-inning spots, the question naturally shifts from whether it will have another chance to who should be at the plate when it comes. The answer depends on more than just a big swing, because recent performance, past walk-off experience and each hitters role all matter when the game gets to that final at-bat.
The ranking of current Guardians hitters starts with the players fans have already seen handle pressure, then works through the bats most likely to be involved when the game is on the line. Some names bring a history of coming through in walk-off situations, while others earn trust because theyre the ones most likely to be in those moments regardless of matchup. In a season built around so many one-run decisions, the order of confidence in that spot says as much about the clubs identity as any single late hit. [Read more 🡒]