Parker Messick wasn’t supposed to be the story in Cleveland’s rotation this spring. He wasn’t even supposed to win a job.
The Guardians opened the year with Gavin Williams as their breakout arm, while Tanner Bibee and Joey Cantillo were viewed as the young starters with upside. Messick, a left-hander, entered spring training outside the rotation picture. Then he kept forcing his way in.
Last season gave the first hint. In a short 39.2-inning stint, Messick posted a 2.72 ERA and turned heads. This spring, he backed it up with a strong camp, added a bump in fastball velocity, and beat out the more experienced Logan Allen for the fifth and final rotation spot.
A little more than three months later, he’s not just holding his own - he’s become the most reliable starter in Cleveland’s rotation and a legitimate All-Star candidate.
The numbers explain why. Messick owns a 2.85 ERA, which ranks fourth in the American League across 101 innings.
Only Cam Schlittler, Drew Rasmussen, and Nick Martinez have been better. He’s also fourth in the league in fWAR at 2.8, well ahead of Williams, who sat at 1.7 as of Thursday afternoon.
Fans will handle the starting position players for the Midsummer Classic, but the pitchers and reserves are chosen by fellow players and the Commissioner’s Office. Messick may not yet be a household name with the public, but around the league, he’s been impossible to ignore.
On the ‘Foul Territory’ podcast, Messick said an All-Star nod would be ‘surreal’.
“I’m thankful to the Lord that I’m in this position. If it happens, it would mean the world,” he said.
For plenty of players, an All-Star selection feels like the payoff for all the work that came before it. Messick is not there yet, but the case is already strong. The rosters haven’t been finalized, though leaving him off at this point would be hard to justify.
He looks like the Guardian with the best shot to be in Philadelphia on July 14.
In Other News...
Guardians Rookie Faces More Heat As Rough Lesson Continues
Cooper Ingles growing pains in left field continued against the White Sox, where the Guardians rookie was charged with his second error in two games after dropping a fly ball. The miscue stood out because Ingle is still a catcher by trade and is only beginning to learn the demands of a new position after a recent promotion.
Stephen Vogt has already tried to frame the situation as part of the learning curve, urging Ingle to move past the first mistake and keep playing. For Cleveland, the larger question is how quickly a player with so little outfield experience can settle in while the club keeps asking him to handle a spot that is still very new to him. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Seized Control Of The Central In Unbelievable Fashion
Chicago had spent much of the night looking like the sharper team, jumping on Cleveland early and putting the Guardians in a familiar chase mode at Progressive Field. But the home team kept hanging around, and the game turned into the kind of late-inning grind that can change the feel of a season, especially when first place in the AL Central is sitting there for the taking.
Brayan Rocchio delivered the swing that made it happen, a two-run shot in the ninth that sent Cleveland home with a 6-5 win and its second walk-off victory of his career. The result pushed the Guardians into sole possession of first in the division on a percentage basis, another reminder of how quickly a race can flip when a club keeps finding ways to finish. [Read more 🡒]