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Injured Guardians outfielder says he is finally pain-free: Takeaways

Updated: May. 09, 2025, 8:23 p.m.|Published: May. 09, 2025, 7:32 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Injured Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas could be close to heading out on a rehab assignment, manager Stephen Vogt revealed on Friday.

Prior to the opener of Cleveland’s series against Philadelphia, Vogt said Thomas is finally pain-free after spending the last 17 days sidelined with a bruised right wrist suffered in the club’s home opener on April 8.

After a few days of conditioning, Cleveland’s medical staff will work with Thomas to determine his next steps. A rehab assignment could be in his near future.

“He just feels like he needs to get his strength back,” Vogt said. “We’re hoping if everything continues to go well over the weekend, at some point next week he’ll go out and play.”

Sunday night lights

Manager Stephen Vogt said right-hander Luis Ortiz will start Sunday’s prime-time tilt against the Phillies on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. The game is set for a 7 p.m. start.

Ortiz and Ben Lively both pitched during Tuesday’s doubleheader in Washington. Ortiz, who gets the start on regular rest, is 2-0 in three career appearances against Philly while with Pittsburgh, He has a 0.69 ERA and seven strikeouts in 13 innings against the Phillies.

Lively, who broke into the majors with Philly in 2017 and appeared in 20 games across parts of two seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, made one start against his former team last year with Cleveland, striking out six and walking a pair while allowing one run on three hits in a 9-6 Guards victory.

Good time to get the runs

The Guardians scored 31 of their 39 runs against Toronto and Washington in the sixth inning or later, including an eight-run outburst in the sixth inning on Wednesday and a six spot in the seventh during Game 1 of a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Wednesday’s output was Cleveland’s single-highest scoring inning of the season.

According to Elias, the road trip marked the first time that the Guardians scored 31 runs or more in the sixth inning or later over a six-game span since June 1 to June 7 of 2006 (34). Cleveland matched the late-inning production of the Cubs from earlier this season when Chicago also scored 31 runs in the sixth inning or later from March 30 to April 12.

The Guards now rank third in the American League with 83 runs scored late (sixth or later), behind the Yankees (84) and Mariners (86).

Vogt credited Cleveland’s hitters for continuing to push when they get a sense that the big inning is near.

“When we smell blood, we go,” Vogt said. “Our guys really feed off each other.”

Vogt said Cleveland’s ability to squeeze opposing relievers has also helped.

“When we get on base, we make really good things happen,” Vogt said. “That’s all we try to do. We try to get on base and then keep the line moving.”

Walk this May

Guardians hitters are tied for the major league lead in walks since May 1, joining the Reds and Mets with the most free passes in that span.

Cleveland’s 11.7% walk rate leads the AL, according to Sportradar, and is the second-highest in MLB, behind the Mets (11.9%). It is one of the reasons the Guards rank fourth in the majors in on-base percentage at .348, trailing Kansas City (.355), the Mets (.359) and Detroit (.374).

Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo and Carlos Santana lead the club with five walks apiece since the calendar turned to May. Nolan Jones and Daniel Schneemann have drawn four apiece.

Vogt said hitters such as Kwan and Santana have shown over the course of their careers that when they get behind in the count early -- even at two strikes -- they almost become better hitters.

“For me it’s the plate discipline,” Vogt said. “It’s knowing your zone. Kwannie and Santana are obviously two of the best in the game at plate discipline they have such little chase.”

Santana has drawn more than 90 walks eight times in his career, including four seasons of more than 100 free passes. Kwan has ranked in the 65th percentile or better in walk rate in each of his first three seasons.

According to Vogt, that level of success comes from knowing the strike zone, trusting your eyes and trusting your ability to extend an at-bat with contact.

“The ‘emergency exit’ of fouling something off late, maybe not everybody has that club in their bag,” Vogt said.

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