The American League’s 4-0 win in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game had a clear Guardians flavor to it, with Cade Smith and Parker Messick both turning in spotless innings on the mound.
Smith drew one of the night’s biggest moments in the sixth, when Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper stepped in and sized him up with a line that fit the moment: “This guys disgusting, so we’ll see what happens.”
Harper knew exactly what he was up against. He later said Smith’s fastball “looked like a million [mph]” as it zipped by, but the result was the same either way - strikeout.
Smith kept rolling from there, striking out Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll and getting Milwaukee Brewers catcher Williams Contreras to lift a fly ball to right field. By the end of the inning, he had carved through the heart of the National League order without allowing a baserunner.
Messick’s turn came earlier, in the bottom of the second after American League starter Dylan Cease. The rookie All-Star was efficient from the jump, needing just 10 pitches to handle the National League’s five, six and seven hitters. The toughest battle belonged to hometown favorite Brandon Marsh, who pushed the count to 3-2, fouled off three pitches and finally went down looking on the seventh pitch of the at-bat.
Together, the two Guardians pitchers threw two perfect innings and struck out three batters, giving the American League exactly the kind of clean work it needed in a shutout victory.
In Other News...
Former Guardians Starter Just Hit A Brutal New Low
Aaron Civales season has gone from uneasy to ugly, and the latest move only underscores how far things have fallen for the former Guardians starter. After landing with the Athletics, he was already trying to find his footing on a pitching staff that has been in flux, and a recent shakeup around the club has only added to the sense that nothing is stable right now.
Civales struggles have been a mix of poor results and bad health, with a rough run since coming back from the injured list and an earlier shoulder issue that knocked him off track in late May. For Cleveland fans who remember him as a dependable part of the rotation, seeing him get pushed into this kind of uncertainty is a stark reminder of how quickly a pitchers value can change when performance and injuries both start piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Fans Know Exactly The Deadline Move Cleveland Rarely Makes
With the trade deadline drawing near, the market for impact bats has already started to thin, and that has put a premium on players who can do a little of everything. Spencer Steer has fit that description for Cincinnati this season, moving around the diamond while giving clubs a look at a bat that could help against left-handed pitching. For Cleveland, a player like that naturally stands out because he could help smooth over some of the lineups rough edges at first base and left field.
The bigger question is whether the Guardians would be willing to pay the kind of price that usually comes with a useful, controllable hitter this time of year. Cleveland has been careful about preserving prospect depth, and with several teams showing interest, any pursuit would likely come with real competition. That is where the deadline gets tricky for this front office, because the fit is easy to see, but the cost is the part they rarely rush to meet. [Read more 🡒]
One New Deal Just Changed The Guardians Conversation On Bazzana
Travis Bazzanas rise has already put the Guardians in a familiar spot: weighing how aggressively to lock up a young player before the price keeps climbing. After appearing in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, Bazzana joined Chase Burns as one of just three members of the 2024 draft class to reach that stage, which only sharpened the attention on how Cleveland might handle its own long-term planning.
Burns new seven-year deal with Cincinnati has added another layer to the conversation, giving clubs around the league a fresh example of how quickly a top young talent can be secured. For the Guardians, the question is no longer just whether Bazzana fits into their future, but whether the timing and structure of a deal can be worked out before the market, and the sports labor picture, make the decision even more complicated. [Read more 🡒]