The Guardians’ slide hit another rough patch Friday night, and this one never really had a chance to turn. Tampa Bay rolled to an 11-3 win over Cleveland at Tropicana Field, handing the Guardians their third straight loss and pushing them closer to .500 at 54-51.
Joey Cantillo took the brunt of it. The left-hander was tagged for five runs in just 3.2 innings, giving up eight hits and a walk while Tampa Bay kept stacking traffic and cashing it in. Cleveland’s bullpen had to cover a long night from there, with Matt Festa, Franco Aleman, Tim Herrin, Shawn Armstrong, and Hunter Gaddis all getting involved in a game that was effectively out of reach early.
Tampa Bay struck first in the bottom of the second when Ryan Vilade launched a two-run homer off Cantillo. Cleveland answered in the top of the fourth, trimming the deficit to 2-1 on Brayan Rocchio’s double that brought home Chase DeLauter.
That was as close as it got.
The Rays blew the inning open in the bottom half. Jonny DeLuca singled in Cedric Mullins, then later scored on a fielder’s choice. Nick Fortes added another RBI hit to bring in Chandler Simpson, and just like that Tampa Bay was up 5-1 and Cantillo’s night was done.
The damage kept coming after that. Junior Caminero, the former Guardians prospect, singled in Fortes in the sixth against Festa.
Fortes added another RBI in the seventh, doubling home Ben Williamson off Herrin. In the eighth, Simpson lifted a sacrifice fly to score Jonathan Aranda with Armstrong on the mound.
Then Richie Palacios delivered the knockout blow, a three-run homer off Gaddis that pushed the Rays ahead 11-1.
Cleveland did tack on a little late. Austin Hedges hit a two-run homer in the ninth, but it only trimmed the final margin.
For the Guardians, it was a brutal box score all the way around: 11 runs allowed, 15 hits surrendered, two errors, and just 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Angel Martinez’s return was the lone bright spot, though he went 0-for-4 in his debut. Jose Ramirez was out of the lineup with the day off.
Hedges, Rocchio, and Gabriel Arias each finished with two hits, with Rocchio’s double standing out as Cleveland’s only extra-base hit until Hedges went deep late. Armstrong also appeared to deal with some kind of injury, and the Guardians are expected to update his status on Saturday.
In Other News...
This Guardians Trade Idea Feels Like Exactly What Cleveland Needs
With the trade deadline approaching, Cleveland has been linked to the kind of move that would add some real flexibility to a roster still looking for a little more punch. The front office has already signaled that it wants to improve the club, and the fact that the Guardians and Giants have dealt with each other earlier this season only adds another layer to the possibility of another match between two teams that know each other a bit better than most.
What makes this idea stand out is the blend of offense and versatility on the table. The player in question is in the middle of his best season yet, and he has given San Francisco a useful bat while covering multiple spots around the diamond, including second base, third base, shortstop, first base and left field. For a Cleveland team that could use more balance and more options, that sort of profile is exactly the kind of fit that tends to make sense right up until the moment a deadline deal either comes together or slips away. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Finally Have One Last Chance To Cash In On Bo Naylor
Bo Naylors path in Cleveland has narrowed in a hurry. The Guardians have cut back his role, brought Patrick Bailey into the picture, and made it harder to see where Naylor fits long term, even as he has kept working in Triple-A with a respectable offensive showing since the demotion.
That has made him a name worth watching as the trade deadline approaches, especially with several clubs already taking a look. Cleveland may have one last window to turn Naylor into value, and Cooper Ingles rising trade appeal only adds another layer to what could become a broader roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Found Another Internal Pitching Answer
The Guardians player-development machine keeps turning out arms, and the latest name to watch is a right-hander who has moved quickly from the lower levels into the upper minors. Cleveland has long leaned on its ability to grow pitching internally, and this season has only reinforced that reputation as another prospect has put himself on the radar with a strong run in the system.
After climbing from High-A to Double-A and then on to Triple-A Columbus in short order, the pitcher has paired that rise with steady production, including a 2.61 ERA in 15 starts. The bigger question now is how Cleveland chooses to use him next, since a move to the bullpen could give the club another option for the stretch run and potentially help ease pressure before the trade deadline. [Read more 🡒]