Parker Messick had the kind of night that usually wins you a game. Riley Greene made sure it didn’t.
The rookie left-hander punched out a career-best 12 over six innings Saturday night at Progressive Field, missing bats all over the place and striking out seven of Detroit’s nine starters at least once. But Greene, back from the injured list and locked in from the jump, ruined the show with a three-hit night, two homers and four RBI in the Tigers’ 6-0 win over the Guardians.
Messick (11-9, 2.53) was good enough to keep Cleveland in it for a while, but Greene’s damage came fast and kept coming. The left fielder opened the scoring in the first, launching a homer into the bleachers in left center field for a 1-0 Tigers lead. He added a single in the third, then came back to lead off the sixth with another shot to center for a 3-0 cushion.
By the time Messick was done, Greene had gone 5 for 7 with three homers and four RBI against him. Messick has now allowed 17 homers in 28 starts.
Detroit starter Framber Valdez took care of the rest. The left-hander (9-10, 4.17), who had been 5-0 with a 2.30 ERA against Cleveland as an Astro before signing with the Tigers after the 2025 season, had struggled in his first two starts against the Guardians as a Tiger.
Saturday looked nothing like those outings. He fired seven scoreless innings, gave up three hits and struck out three.
Cleveland never found much traction. The Guardians were shut out for the 15th time this season and managed only three hits all night.
Their best chance came in the second, when David Fry and Angel Genao opened the inning with singles and Petey Halpin moved them along with a bunt. Valdez shut it down by getting the next two hitters.
The Guardians did get a bright spot in the final two innings from rookie right-hander Austin Peterson, who made his big-league debut and kept the Tigers off the board while striking out three.
Detroit’s offense, meanwhile, piled up 11 hits and snapped what had been a rough stretch. The Tigers have now won only five of their last 21 games.
The loss also wiped away any carryover from Cleveland’s walk-off doubleheader sweep of Detroit on Friday night.
Sunday’s matchup sends RHP Gavin Williams (13-7, 3.81) against RHP Jackson Jobe (1-2, 4.63) at 1:40 p.m.
In Other News...
Former Guardians Outfielder Suddenly Back In The Middle Of Seattle's Push
Stuart Fairchild is back on a major league roster again, and this time the opportunity comes with a little more urgency for Seattle. After putting up strong numbers at Triple-A Tacoma, Fairchild was brought back by the Mariners to fill a roster spot opened when Victor Robles was placed on the family medical emergency list, giving the club another outfield option at a time when every healthy bat matters.
For Fairchild, the move adds another stop to a season that has already taken him through brief stints with both the Mariners and the Cleveland Guardians before he returned on a minor league deal with Seattle. His path has been anything but settled, but the Mariners clearly liked what they saw in Tacoma enough to pull him back into the middle of their push, even if the longer-term answer in the outfield remains to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Have Another Chase DeLauter Health Concern
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The wrist issue arrives just after DeLauter sat out a series against the Los Angeles Angels because of hamstring tightness, extending a stretch in which availability has been the bigger question than production. For a player trying to build momentum, the timing is frustrating, and for the Guardians it adds another layer of uncertainty to a roster that could use some stability from him. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Keep Ignoring A First Base Answer Fans Want To See
Ralphy Velazquez has done enough in Triple-A to keep his name in the conversation, especially with the Guardians still looking for more offense at first base. The prospects production has made him an obvious candidate for a look in Cleveland, and general manager Mike Chernoff even acknowledged that Velazquez has earned a promotion based on performance.
For now, though, the path is blocked by roster fit rather than merit. Chernoff said there is not a role for Velazquez on the major league club at the moment, and he also pushed back on the idea that any looming labor concerns are driving the decision. So the question around first base remains the same one fans have been asking: if Velazquez keeps forcing the issue, when does Cleveland finally make room? [Read more 🡒]