The Cleveland Guardians’ home stand ended in a mess Thursday, as the New York Mets finished off a sweep with a 13-6 win and pushed Cleveland to 57-59 on the season.
What started as a promising afternoon quickly turned into a pitching breakdown. The Guardians’ staff gave up 13 runs and 18 hits, and new starter Foster Griffin took the brunt of it in his first outing since being acquired from the Washington Nationals on Monday. Griffin allowed five runs over four innings, giving up seven hits and two homers while walking two and striking out six.
Cleveland did grab the early edge. Chase DeLauter and Jose Ramirez drew walks to open the first, Nathaniel Lowe followed with a single, and Angel Martinez cashed it in with a two-run hit against Mets ace Nolan McLean.
That lead didn’t last long.
Marcus Semien answered in the second with a solo homer, his 13th of the year, and Luis Torrens later delivered a two-run blast to put New York in front 3-2. The Mets kept rolling in the third, when rookie Carson Benge ripped a run-scoring triple and then came home on Semien’s sacrifice fly to make it 5-2. Jared Young added another run in the fifth with a single that scored Francisco Alvarez.
Cleveland made one push to get back in it. In the bottom of the fifth, Lowe unloaded on McLean with a three-run homer - a screaming line drive to right that cut the Mets’ lead to 6-5 and gave the Guardians a jolt.
But the game slipped away in the seventh. With two runners aboard, Francisco Lindor delivered the blow against Craig Yoho, launching a homer that made it 9-5 and swung the afternoon firmly New York’s way.
The eighth inning was even rougher. Slade Cecconi, moved to the bullpen this week to make room for Griffin in the rotation, faced four hitters and didn’t record an out while allowing four runs on three hits and two walks. Tim Herrin and Austin Hedges finished the frame, but by then the damage was done.
Chase DeLauter added an RBI single in the ninth that scored Angel Genao, but it was only a late note in a lopsided loss.
Lowe led the way for Cleveland at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with a walk, a homer, a run and three RBI. DeLauter also went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
The Guardians now head to Chicago for a big series against the White Sox, starting Friday with Parker Messick on the mound at 7:40 pm ET.
In Other News...
Guardians Just Lost A Familiar Infielder In A Roster Squeeze
Gabriel Arias has been a familiar part of the Guardians roster conversation since 2022, valued most for his defensive versatility even as his bat never quite found consistent footing. Clevelands decision to move on from him came as the club continued reshaping its roster around younger talent, with the organization creating space for top prospect Angel Genao on the 40-man.
Arias did not stay available for long. Once he hit waivers, another team moved quickly, underscoring how a glove-first infielder with major league experience can still carry appeal even after an uneven run at the plate. For Cleveland, it is another reminder that roster squeezes can turn into quick departures, especially when a prospect push forces a tough choice. [Read more 🡒]
Nathaniel Lowe Is Giving Cleveland Hope At A Position Still In Flux
Clevelands latest skid has only sharpened the attention on first base, where the Guardians are still trying to find something stable after a busy trade deadline and a rough stretch that has included five losses in six games. Nathaniel Lowe arrived from Cincinnati as one of five new players added at the deadline, and early on he has looked like a useful fit, giving the lineup a needed jolt at a spot that has not offered much certainty.
The timing matters because Kyle Manzardo was demoted after his production slipped this season, leaving the Guardians with even more of a long-term question there. Lowes strong start has at least given Cleveland a credible option to lean on while the organization keeps sorting out how it wants to handle the position, especially against right-handed pitching, where the future picture still feels unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Face A Pitching Depth Test Before White Sox Series
The Guardians are heading into their White Sox series with a little less margin on the mound after adding another hit to the pitching depth chart. Cleveland had already been navigating the usual midseason grind, and now it will have to cover innings without one of the arms it had been counting on, turning to its organizational depth for a quick answer.
Franco Aleman is the next man up, back from Triple-A after spending much of the season in relief work. The right-hander has already shown he can miss bats with a fastball that brings real velocity, and his early major league line has been serviceable enough to keep him in the mix. For the Guardians, the immediate question is how long they can piece things together while waiting for the rotation picture to settle. [Read more 🡒]