The Cleveland Guardians got everything they could have asked for from Parker Messick and still came away empty.
A night after hanging eight runs and 12 hits on the San Francisco Giants, Cleveland was blanked 1-0 on Wednesday at home, leaving the best-of-three set even heading into Thursday’s finale. The Guardians managed just six hits, and only one of them went for extra bases: a double from Travis Bazzana. The loss dropped Cleveland to 61-66.
Messick was sharp from the start and gave the Guardians a real chance to steal the game. The left-hander worked 6.2 innings, allowed one run on six hits, struck out 10 and didn’t issue a walk. His ERA sits at 2.54, but his 9-8 record tells the story of a pitcher doing his job without much help behind him.
That lack of support was the issue again. With Rhys Hoskins on the injured list because of back issues, Chase DeLauter still not ready to return, and Jo Adell sidelined and out of the lineup, Cleveland never found a rhythm against former Guardians prospect Matt ‘Tugboat’ Wilkinson, Adrian Houser and Dylan Smith.
The Giants’ lone run came in the fourth inning. With two outs, Victor Bericoto sent a ground ball single to shortstop Brayan Rocchio, bringing home Rafael Devers and providing all the offense San Francisco needed.
Angel Martinez and Angel Genao each finished 2-for-4 for Cleveland. Bazzana and Austin Hedges had the other two hits. The bullpen did its part as well, with Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski and Cade Smith keeping the game close after Messick exited.
But the Guardians’ biggest bats never got going. Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez, Nathaniel Lowe, Petey Halpin and Brayan Rocchio combined to go 0-for-17.
The series wraps up Thursday at 1:10 pm at Progressive Field. Landon Roupp will start for the Giants, while Gavin Williams gets the ball for Cleveland as the Guardians try to leave with a series win.
In Other News...
Guardians Lineup Suddenly Has A New Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Guardians have had to keep shuffling their lineup around injuries, and the latest turn only adds to the uncertainty. Rhys Hoskins was moved to the injured list because of lower back inflammation, opening a spot that Cleveland filled by bringing David Fry back up from Triple-A Columbus. It is another reminder of how quickly the depth chart can change for a club trying to keep its offense moving while managing bodies all over the roster.
Frys return at least gives Cleveland a versatile option, and he has been swinging the bat well in Columbus, which makes him a useful piece to plug into a lineup that needs stability. Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell are still active, but both are dealing with injuries of their own, with DeLauter working through mild left hamstring tightness and Adell handling a left knee contusion. For the Guardians, the bigger concern now is how long this injury pileup can keep forcing them to mix and match before it starts affecting the lineup in a more serious way. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Get A Timely Health Boost In Wild Card Push
The Guardians got a welcome bit of injury news as they head into their series against the Giants, with three players all moving in the right direction at a time when every healthy arm and bat matters. Rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter is feeling better after an MRI turned up no alarming issues, leaving him day-to-day, while the club also has encouraging signs from the pitching side with reliever Colin Holderman and starter Slade Cecconi both taking steps forward.
Holderman has resumed playing catch and is preparing to pitch, an important checkpoint for a bullpen that can use as much depth as it can get. Cecconi, meanwhile, has gotten through bullpen sessions and is expected to start a rehab assignment soon, a development that gives Cleveland another possible reinforcement to track as the wild card chase tightens and the calendar keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Naylor Is Raising A Tough Question Cleveland Never Answered
Bo Naylors first weeks in the Brewers organization have offered a fresh look at the same bat Cleveland spent years trying to sort out. Since the trade, he has played exclusively at Triple-A Nashville, and the early returns suggest something is clicking in a different way. The changes show up in the contact profile as much as the results, with a more favorable shape to his production and a version of his offense that looks cleaner than it did before the move.
For Cleveland, the harder question is the one that always hovered around Naylor: whether the offensive gains can translate when the level changes. Milwaukee can still treat him as a catching option down the road, but the organization is really gathering evidence on whether this is a real adjustment or just a hot stretch against Triple-A pitching. The Guardians never got a definitive answer on that front, and now another club is left trying to find one. [Read more 🡒]