Death, taxes, and the Guardians struggling to solve Michael Wacha.
That old refrain held up again Friday night, when Cleveland’s seven-game winning streak came to an end with a 3-0 loss to the Royals in the opener.
It was the kind of game that felt like a classic early on: two pitchers trading clean innings, every run looking like it might have to be manufactured one gritty at-bat at a time. Gavin Bibee kept the Guardians in it through the first four frames, even after running into danger in the second and third. He escaped a two-on, one-out spot in the second, then worked out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the third.
Cleveland had its own chance in the third. With two on and one out, the Guardians looked ready to crack through, but Wacha slammed the door. He got Steven Kwan to ground into a fielder’s choice, then struck out Chase DeLauter with runners on the corners to end the inning.
The Royals finally broke through in the fifth. Bobby Witt Jr. opened the inning with a hard double, moved to third on a sacrifice fly, and came home on Salvador Perez’s RBI groundout. That was enough to put Kansas City in front, and it stayed that way for the rest of the night.
From there, the bullpen took over and the game tightened even more. The Royals managed just one hit across the sixth, seventh and eighth against Bibee, Tim Herrin and Craig Yoho. Cleveland, meanwhile, had trouble making Wacha labor until Petey Halpin worked an eight-pitch at-bat before lining a single with one out in the ninth.
But that brief push didn’t lead anywhere. Brayan Rocchio lifted a fairly deep fly ball, and Steven Kwan was called out on a strike three that he chose not to challenge.
Yoho stayed on for the ninth, and that’s where the game got away. Isaac Collins led off with a double that just slipped off the glove of Jo Adell in right field. A sacrifice bunt moved him to third, Kyle Isbel struck out for the second out, and then Carter Jensen punished Cleveland with a two-run homer to make it 3-0.
The Guardians still had one last crack at it in the bottom of the ninth. Chase DeLauter started the inning with a single, and after Jo Adell blooped in a hit with one out, the pressure kept building. Nathaniel Lowe struck out, then a foul tip was overturned to a hit-by-pitch for Travis Bazzana to load the bases.
That brought up the winning run in pinch-hitter Angel Genao. He grounded weakly back to the pitcher, and that was that.
In Other News...
Guardians Prospect Saga Took A Shocking Turn Before He Ever Signed
The Guardians thought they had lined up a promising addition when they reached a $2.8 million deal with a switch-hitting infielder known as David Severino, a player they had tracked as part of their international pipeline. Instead, an MLB investigation blew up the agreement before it ever became official, uncovering that the prospect had used fake documents and a fabricated gravesite to support a false identity and age.
What makes the situation especially jarring for Cleveland is that the club is not facing discipline, even as the player has been suspended for the fraud. Severino, whose real name is Daury David Severino Damaso, is now expected to sign for a much smaller bonus, leaving the Guardians to move on from a saga that never even reached the point of a signature. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Legal Crisis Just Raised A Bigger Question For Emmanuel Clase
The legal clock keeps moving for Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, and the latest ruling in Brooklyn did little to change the basic shape of the case. A federal judge denied the pitchers requests for separate trials in their November proceedings tied to an alleged pitch-rigging scheme, while also turning aside the governments bid to remove Clases attorney from the matter. Both pitchers have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, leaving the Guardians facing another off-field storyline that is now officially headed toward trial.
For Cleveland, the immediate issue is less about courtroom maneuvering than about what this means for Clases future and the teams ability to plan around him. The case is scheduled to begin on November 2, and with the judge keeping the players joined together, the proceedings will unfold under a spotlight that could shape not only the next few weeks but the larger question hanging over one of the clubs most prominent pitchers. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Playoff Push Suddenly Has A New X Factor
The Guardians came home from an undefeated road trip with one month left before the postseason, and the timing only sharpened the sense that their push has a little more substance than a hot streak. Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter have helped keep the lineup on base in August, while Parker Messick has settled in as a reliable starter with a 2.54 ERA over 33 starts, giving Cleveland a rotation piece it can actually lean on as the games start to matter more.
Even more important, the bullpen has been carrying real weight. Since August 10, it has posted a 1.52 ERA and sat near the top of several pitching categories, the kind of run that can change the entire shape of a stretch drive. For a club trying to hold momentum into September, that relief work may end up being the difference between simply hanging around and turning this into a legitimate playoff push. [Read more 🡒]