Cleveland Sports Forum

Luis Ortiz struggles again early in Guardians' 7-2 spring training loss to San Diego

Published: Mar. 08, 2025, 5:38 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Luis Ortiz struggled with his command again early, walking a pair and allowing four San Diego runs in the first inning before settling in to retire six of the final seven batters he faced Saturday in the Guardians' 7-2 spring training loss to the Padres at Peoria Sports Complex.

Ortiz, who allowed six runs on six hits against Milwaukee in his Cactus League debut on Feb. 25, bounced back with a strong three innings on Tuesday when he allowed one run and did not walk a batter with two strikeouts against Seattle. But the early-inning command issues popped up again Saturday against the regular starters at the top of San Diego’s lineup.

Ortiz allowed a leadoff single to Luis Arraez and a walk to Fernando Tatis Jr before loading the bases with a two-out walk to Jake Cronenworth.

A two-run single by Xander Bogaerts and a climbing pitch count forced Ortiz from the mound in favor of depth camp righty Alonzo Richardson. Ortiz would re-enter the game in the second, but not before Richardson uncorked a wild pitch that scored Cronenworth from third and a three-run home run to Gavin Sheets that put the Padres in front, 6-0.

Ortiz, acquired by the Guardians in December from Pittsburgh in exchange for Spencer Horwitz and ticketed immediately for a spot in the starting rotation, has had his ups and downs through three spring starts for Cleveland.

After an Arraez double to open the second, the Dominican righty retired six straight, including four consecutive strikeouts of Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado, Cronenworth and Bogaerts.

Tim Herrin, making his third appearance of the spring, worked a scoreless fourth inning. Parker Mushinski and Bradley Hanner each followed with scoreless relief innings.

Brandon Lockridge snapped a streak of 19 straight Padres batters retired by Guardians pitchers when he doubled to right against Guards lefty Andrew Misiaszek in the eighth.

Misiaszek’s throwing error on a pickoff attempt allowed Lockridge to score San Diego’s final run.

Cleveland scored twice in the third when Cody Huff and Brayan Rocchio reached on back-to-back singles and Tyler Freeman was hit by a Yu Darvish pitch to load the bases. Kyle Manzardo delivered an RBI single to right and Johnathan Rodriguez added an RBI sacrifice fly that cut San Diego’s lead to four runs.

Rocchio and Manzardo finished with two hits apiece, including a double for Manzardo on a ball that Jason Heyward lost in the sun during the first inning. Rocchio is now batting .450 with a 1.126 OPS while Manzardo is hitting .429. The pair leads all Cleveland batters with nine hits apiece.

Rodriguez, competing for a spot in Cleveland’s outfield, appeared shaken up after slamming his hand into the wall on the Arraez double in the second, but remained in the game.

Next up

Right-hander Gavin Williams (0-0, 2.08) will make his third spring start on Sunday when he takes the mound against the White Sox at Goodyear Ballpark. Chicago will counter with righty Mason Adams (0-0, 3.00), who will also make his third Cactus League appearance. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. ET. The game will air on WTAM 1100 AM and the Guardians' Radio Network.


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Here's the Guardians' Spring Breakout roster

March 6th, 2025

Tim Stebbins is a reporter for MLB.com.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- When MLB held the inaugural Spring Breakout showcase game last March, the Guardians’ roster included several prospects who became key contributors in their run to the 2024 ALCS. That included Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy Noel, who batted third and fourth in Cleveland’s starting lineup and hit home runs in a 6-2 win over the Reds.

This month, Cleveland fans will once again get an up-close look at up-and-coming players who could impact the Guardians in the Majors in the not-so-distant future. Spring Breakout is back on March 14, and Cleveland’s roster is packed with intriguing prospects.

Here is what you need to know about the upcoming game.

What is Spring Breakout?

MLB Spring Breakout is a four-day event showcasing baseball’s future: the current stars of Minor League Baseball. The second edition will be held from March 13-16 at Grapefruit and Cactus League stadiums during Spring Training. Sixteen exhibition games will be played between teams comprised of each MLB organization’s top prospects, creating a new touchpoint on the baseball calendar that celebrates the sport’s budding talent.

When is the Guardians’ game?

The Guardians and Mariners have a pair of games slated for March 14 at Goodyear Ballpark. First, Cleveland and Seattle will square off in Cactus League play at 4:05 p.m. ET. Then, their prospects will play the Spring Breakout game at 8:05 p.m. ET.

How can I tune in?

MLB.TV, MLB.com, MLB App, CLEG, CleGuardians.com, RSNW, KIRO, MLB Network, Gameday

Which position players are expected to play?

Teams are allowed to have 23-27 players on their Spring Breakout roster, and the Guardians’ includes three of their top four prospects: second baseman Travis Bazzana (Cleveland’s No. 1, No. 10 overall), outfielder Jaison Chourio (No. 3, No. 59 overall) and infielder Angel Genao (No. 4, No. 61 overall). Catcher Cooper Ingle (No. 7 prospect) and first baseman C.J. Kayfus (No. 8) are also listed on the Guardians’ roster.

Bazzana (the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft), Chourio, Genao and Kayfus are each part of the Guardians’ depth camp roster this spring. Bazzana hit his first Cactus League home run on Feb. 25 against the Brewers, and Kayfus has gone deep once this spring. Ingle earned MVP honors in the Midwest League last season, when he slashed .313/.433/.500 with nine homers and 55 RBIs with High-A Lake County before he was promoted to Double-A Akron on Aug. 12.

Which pitching prospects are expected to play?

A quartet of lefties are among the pitching prospects listed on Cleveland’s roster: Parker Messick (No. 14 prospect), Jackson Humphries (No. 18), Michael Kennedy (No. 19) and Josh Hartle (No. 23). Messick (the Guardians’ second-round pick in 2022) posted a 2.83 ERA in 133 2/3 innings over 27 games (26 starts) between Lake County and Akron last season.

The Guardians also drafted Humphries (eighth round) in 2022, and the 20-year-old made 23 starts for Single-A Lynchburg last season. Cleveland acquired Kennedy (fourth-round pick in ‘22) and Hartle (third round in ‘24) on Dec. 10 from Pittsburgh in the trade for Luis L. Ortiz.

Why are certain top prospects not listed on the roster?

Outfielder Chase DeLauter (the Guardians’ No. 2 prospect, No. 36 overall) is a notable omission from Cleveland’s Spring Breakout roster. He underwent core muscle surgery on Tuesday, and he is expected to be sidelined for eight to 12 weeks.

Infielder Juan Brito (No. 10 prospect) and lefty Joey Cantillo (No. 11) are also not listed on the roster. They are competing for spots on the Guardians’ Opening Day roster this spring.

What is the full roster?

PITCHERS

Parker Messick, LHP, No. 14
Jackson Humphries, LHP, No. 18
Michael Kennedy, LHP, No. 19
Josh Hartle, LHP, No. 23
Austin Peterson, RHP, No. 30
Aaron Davenport, RHP, NR
Magnus Ellerts, RHP, NR
Zach Jacobs, RHP, NR
Jack Leftwich, RHP, NR
Zane Morehouse, RHP, NR
Matt Wilkinson, LHP, NR
Allan Hernandez, RHP, NR

CATCHERS

Cooper Ingle, C, No. 7
Jacob Cozart, C, No. 16

INFIELDERS

Travis Bazzana, 2B, No. 1 (MLB No. 10)
Angel Genao, INF, No. 4 (MLB No. 61)
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, No. 5
Welbyn Francisca, SS/2B, No. 6
C.J. Kayfus, 1B/OF, No. 8
Luis Merejo, 1B/OF, No. 29
Alex Mooney, SS, NR

OUTFIELDERS

Jaison Chourio, OF, No. 3 (MLB No. 59)
Alfonsin Rosario, OF, No. 26
Petey Halpin, OF, No. 28
Jorge Burgos, OF, NR
Joe Lampe, OF, NR


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Physical Transformation Is Paying Off For Guardians Prospect

March 9, 2025

By Andres Chavez

On Saturday, Cleveland Guardians pitching prospect Parker Messick reminded the world that he is also a name to watch this season.

The Guards have about ten starters ahead of him in their depth chart, but that doesn’t mean Messick doesn’t deserve attention.

Quite the contrary, in fact: he has improved so much that many consider him a better prospect than many of the famous names in the system.

He tossed a gem from the mound on Saturday.

He was pitching against minor leaguers, yes, but it counts nonetheless.

In 3.1 frames, all Messick allowed was a single hit.

No runs, no walks, nothing.

Oh, and he struck out a whopping eight batters.

That’s right: of the ten outs he got, eight were via the strikeout.

A big part of his success stems from a physical transformation that saw him gain athleticism and take better advantage of his raw talent.

He is now throwing harder than ever.

A big part of his success stems from a physical transformation that saw him gain athleticism and take better advantage of his raw talent.

He is now throwing harder than ever.

“I’m not surprised to hear about Parker Messick sitting 94+ mph and popping 96+ mph yesterday (@CleGuardPro). Messick has worked hard to reshape his frame and get in better condition. As such positioning himself better paired with a stronger, more athletic frame,” prospects writer Willie Hood posted on X.

A lefty throwing 94-96 is definitely someone to keep an eye on.

If he is athletic and can keep his velocity deep into games, the sky is the limit.

Messick is also young at 24 years old and has a strong track record of success as a prospect.

Last year, he posted a brilliant 2.83 ERA between High-A and Double-A, in 133.2 innings.

He fanned a mind-blowing 165 foes.

Messick was particularly dominant in Double-A, with a 2.06 ERA in 14 games (13 starts.)

If the Guardians are aggressive, they will place Messick in Triple-A Columbus to start the year and see what happens.

He could very well become a contributor in Cleveland later this year.


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Guardians Infielder Extends Hot Streak At The Plate

March 9, 2025

By Andres Chavez

The Cleveland Guardians are eager to give Kyle Manzardo a prominent role in 2025.

It’s fair to say he earned it.

In 2024, the first baseman struggled, adjusted, and then dominated.

That’s what teams love to see in their prospects: they aren’t opposed to seeing them face adversity because that gives them the strength to power through and look for a way to improve.

Right now, the sweet-swinging infielder is dominating once again in spring training.

He went 2-for-3 on Saturday and extended his hot streak at the plate in Cactus League play.

“Cleveland #Guardians (1B) Kyle Manzardo collected two more hits today including this RBI single in the 3rd inning today vs the Padres. Spring numbers: 9-22 4R 2(2B) 2HR 5RBI 1BB .409 AVG 1.231 OPS,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.

Manzardo has hit safely in each of his last four games and accumulated six hits (one home run,) two runs, and three RBI over that span.

He is in a very good spot to lock down a prominent lineup role with Cleveland.

After struggling with a .571 OPS in his first stint in the majors from early May to mid-June of 2024, he was demoted back to Triple-A to work on his game and his approach.

He was recalled in the second half and hit .270 (17-for-63) with a .873 OPS and five homers in 23 games.

Then, he accumulated a .316 batting average (6-for-19) in nine playoff games, including a towering home run in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

He should be the everyday designated hitter and hit second against right-handers.

The Guardians are ready to unleash a much more mature Manzardo to the league.

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A Jacob Junis sighting. 1 inn 1k side retired in order.

Tyler Freeman using his versatility to try and win a job: Guardians takeaways

Updated: Mar. 09, 2025, 5:13 p.m.|Published: Mar. 09, 2025, 4:34 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Tyler Freeman is getting a workout this spring with the Guardians as a shape shifter. He’s used to the role.

Freeman has started seven of the first 14 Cactus League games at five positions. He’s made two starts at second base, two in center field, one at third base, one at shortstop and one at DH.

No matter where Freeman’s played, he’s swung the bat well. He went 1 for 3 in Saturday’s 7-2 loss to the Padres and is hitting .438 (7 for 16) with one homer and four RBI overall.

Freeman has spent parts of the last three seasons with the Guardians. His versatility has been a selling point.

Drafted as a middle infielder in 2017, Freeman was the Guardians' opening day center fielder last year. He led the team with 82 starts in center despite previously spending his entire career as an infielder.

“Free was unbelievable last year,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “We threw him into a new position and he stabilized our defense in the outfield. He did a great job out there.”

Last year’s conversion to center field started a merry-go-round of movement for Freeman. The pace was dizzying at times

When Steven Kwan strained his left hamstring in May, he moved into the leadoff spot for almost a month as the Guards went 13-4. When outfielder Lane Thomas was acquired at the deadline, he lost playing time and was eventually replaced by Thomas in center.

Freeman fell into a 4 for 40 slump from Aug. 1 through Sept. 14 and was optioned to Triple-A Columbus. He rediscovered his swing at Columbus, hitting .417 (10 for 24) in six of the Clippers' final regular season games, and .500 (7 for 14) in the International League playoffs.

He rejoined the Guardians for the postseason, and was going to be added to the American League Division Series roster against Detroit, when he strained an oblique muscle during a pre-series workout.

Freeman spent the rest of the postseason cheering from the dugout.

“It’s not unrecognized what Free did for us last year,” said Vogt. “We put him through a lot. I was open and honest with him. I told him, ‘We went from you being an everyday center fielder, back to the infield and, all of a sudden, being more of a utility player. We asked you to do a lot and you handled it very well.’”

Freeman’s offensive struggles cost him at-bats last year. He hit .209 (69 for 330) with seven homers, 32 RBI and a .626 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) in 118 games in 2024.

“Tyler didn’t have his best offensive season last year,” said Vogt. “Despite that he stabilized a lot of the things we needed defensively and had some big hits for us.”

The Guardians are still looking for a second baseman to replace traded Andres Gimenez. Freeman has appeared in 27 games at second with Cleveland and 74 in the minors. But it seems like the Guardians are looking at him more as a utility player.

“We told Free, ‘You’re going to be utility this spring,‘” said Vogt. “We want to see you play all these positions and get the reps and continue to have quality at-bats.‘”

While they have not excluded Freeman, who can play all four infield positions, from the second base race, Gabriel Arias and Juan Brito have been getting most of the playing time there. Arias, who is out of options, is hitting .211 (4 for 19) with one homer and one RBI. Brito is hitting .053 (1 for 19) with one homer.

Daniel Schneemann, another versatile Guardian, made his first start of the spring at second on Sunday against the White Sox.

Over-amped

Right-hander Luis Ortiz’s first three Cactus League starts with the Guardians have been inconsistent.

He allowed six runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings against Milwaukee on Feb. 25. Things improved on March 2 against the Mariners when he allowed one run on two hits over three innings. On Sunday, Ortiz struggled against the Padres, allowing four runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Ortiz was removed with two out and two out and the Padres leading, 2-0, in the first inning. The Padres added four more runs in the inning before minor leaguer Alonzo Richardson could get the third out.

The Guardians, using the re-entry rule, had Ortiz start the second inning with better results. He worked a scoreless second and third before retiring for the day.

“In the first inning he was amped up,” said Vogt. “He was facing a really good lineup today. But as the inning went on we saw some really good things.

“We want to see the stuff get better as the outing goes on and that’s what we saw in the last couple of innings.”

Ortiz is 0-2 with a 14.14 ERA this spring. He’s allowed 12 hits and 11 earned runs in seven innings.

Finally

Right fielder Johnathan Rodriguez hit the outfield wall hard Sunday chasing a eighth-inning double by Brandon Lockridge. He stayed in the game and Vogt said after the game that he bruised his elbow in the collision ...

Freeman was hit in the ribs by a Yu Darvish pitch in the third inning when the Guardians scored their only two runs ...

Coaches Carl Willis and Sandy Alomar did not attend Sunday’s game against the White Sox. They’re battling a virus that has hit the Guardians.


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Good to see such a nice outing by Messick in a AAA game.
Mr. Chavez notes that Messick has a 94-96 mph fastball. MLB.com calls it a "low 90s fastball" BA comes closer to agreement: says it averaged 92 but has touched 95-96. BA gives him a decent summary:
FB 50 Curve 45 Slider 45 Changeup 55 Cutter 50 Control 55. Overall 45, Medium risk.
"Messick continues to look the part of a reliable back end starter and had no issues missing bats in his first test in AA in 2024. He ... is a nearing a big league opportunity.

Williams with his best of 3 fine outings 3 2/3 innings 2 hits 1 walk 7 strikeouts
Logan Allen with 3 2 hit no walk 3 K innings; they were against the second stringers in the CHX lineup but there's no disputing he has had an excellent spring and should be ahead in the race for the 5th rotation spot except for McKenzie being out of options.

Gavin Williams, Logan Allen continue to roll as Guardians blank White Sox, 1-0

Published: Mar. 09, 2025, 6:53 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The impressive springs of Gavin Williams and Logan Allen continued on Sunday at Goodyear Ballpark.

Williams became the first Cleveland pitcher to reach the fourth inning as he struck out seven in a 1-0 Cactus League win over the White Sox.

In three starts this spring, Williams(1-0, 1.13) has allowed one run in eight innings with 16 strikeouts and two walks. The 6-6, 250-pound right-hander threw 53 pitches in 3 2/3 innings on Sunday.

Allen pitched the final three innings for the save. Allen, like Williams, came to camp competing for a job in the rotation. But with lefty Erik Sabrowski sidelined with a sore left elbow, he may end up competing for a bullpen job.

Allen (1-0, 0.86) struck out three and allowed two hits on Sunday. He’s struck 10, walked two and allowed one run in 10 2/3 innings this spring.

Gabriel Arias made the Guardians a winner by driving in the only run of the game. Arias, with two out in the second, singled to left to score Jhonkensy Noel from second.

Noel lined a single off the center field wall with one out in the second. The exit velocity on Noel’s hit was 116 mph. He took second on a wild pitch by Adam Mason (0-1, 3.00) and scored on Arias' single.

Arias, who is out of options, is trying to win the second base job. He started at shortstop on Sunday, but has made five starts at second this spring. Juan Brito has made five starts as well, but no other candidate have made more than two.

The right-handed hitting Arias is batting .238 (5 for 21). Brito, who did not play Sunday, has only one hit this spring in 19 at-bats.

Williams, Zak Kent, Emmanuel Clase, Jakob Junis and Allen combined on a four-hit shutout.

On Thursday five Guardians' pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout over Arizona. Tanner Bibee went three innings followed by Clase (one), Doug Nikhazy (three), Kolby Allard (one) and Ryan Webb (one) in a 4-0 win.

Junis, who signed a one-year $4.5 million deal in February, made his debut on Sunday. Junis retired the side in order in the sixth. His debut was delayed because of an illness.

The Guardians are 6-8-1 in Cactus League play.

Next

Monday is a split-squad day for the Guardians.

It will be RHP Triston McKenzie (0-1, 13.50) vs. the Cubs at Goodyear at 4:05 p.m. ET. and RHP Ben Lively (1-0, 1.80) vs. Kansas City’s Kris Bubic (1-0, 5.40) at Surprise at 4:05 p.m. ET. in a split-squad day. CleGuardians.TV will carry the game against the Cubs.

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Williams (16 K's in 8 IP) continues to dazzle at Guards camp

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Spring Training statistics can only reveal so much, and they aren’t a perfectly reliable method to predict regular season outcomes. But it’s also hard to ignore the numbers right-hander Gavin Williams has put up while passing the eye test in Cactus League play.

“The Gavin that's been throwing this Spring Training is the Gavin that everyone in this organization has been raving about,” Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz said.

And that could mean big things for Cleveland’s starting rotation this season. Williams has been dominant this spring, if not a closer reflection of the guy who recorded a 3.29 ERA in 16 starts as a rookie (2023).

Williams struggled and dealt with injury in ‘24. He made two Cactus League starts before being shut down due to right elbow inflammation and recorded a 4.86 ERA in 16 starts after making his season debut on July 3.

He’s struck out 16 batters in eight innings over three starts this spring, including seven in 3 2/3 scoreless innings Sunday vs. the White Sox, a game Cleveland went on to win 1-0.

Williams’ four-seamer has stood out in his three starts this spring after he and the Guardians emphasized it in his offseason work. He said this week that it played more like a sinker last season rather than playing up in the zone.

“It's all about Gavin’s fastball,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “That was the big improvement that he worked on all winter and is still continuing to work on all spring.”

“[The movement is] coming back to where it was when I got drafted [in 2021],” Williams said. “If it can stay in that same spot, I think I’ll have a good year.”

Walters toes the rubber

Andrew Walters has made one Cactus League appearance this spring, on Feb. 24. The right-hander dealt with some right shoulder stiffness after that outing, and the Guardians opted to play things safe.

Walters has resumed throwing, including a 25-pitch bullpen on Sunday with his full arsenal. He said afterward that he’s feeling good.

“Just a little minor inconvenience, but I’m ready to get back out there on the field,” Walters said.

Walters made his MLB debut on Sept. 12 last season and didn’t allow an earned run in nine regular-season appearances. He expressed confidence that he has enough time to prepare for the start of the season.

“Oh yeah, absolutely,” he said. “This is my first Major League Spring Training, so I’m still trying to feel it out. I’ve got a lot of resources, so I’m feeling pretty confident that timeline-wise we’ll be ready to rock and roll.”

Junis debuts

The Guardians took things slow with Jakob Junis after signing him to a one-year deal on Feb. 16, and he also was pushed back a few days after falling under the weather. The 32-year-old made his Cactus League debut on Sunday and threw a scoreless sixth inning with one strikeout.

Junis is an intriguing addition to Cleveland’s pitching staff as a versatile arm Vogt can deploy in multiple ways. In eight seasons, Junis has made 192 appearances, including 116 starts. In 2024, he recorded a 2.69 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP in 24 games (six starts) with the Brewers and Reds.

“I've done it the last couple years where I'm in the bullpen and can give one inning, two innings, three innings,” Junis said. “And then if things go haywire, I can start and fill that role too. At this point in my career, I’ve done a little bit of everything. … Just hoping I can bring experience and that versatility to the team and just plug in the gaps for these guys.”


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Yes, now we now what;s up with Walters. With Enright and Aleman also out for extended periods the bullpen is suddenly thin. Fortunately, we have Nikhazy and perhaps Allen available to add depth.

Williams leads all spring training pitchers with his 16 strikeouts. He has the ability to out-ace Bibee and give us a really nice 1-2 at the top of the rotation and a lot of question marks thereafter.

McKenzie was marginally better; he didn't walk anyone but allowed 7 singles in 3 2/3 innings; 2 runs.
Sewald was again not effective: 2/3 inning 3 hits a walk 2 runs 10.80 ERA
Lively with 4 shutout innings, 3 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts. His spring ERA is 1.00 WHIP 1.33
He lines up behind Bibee and Williams.
Allard with another good 2 innings, 1 hit, 3K no walks. 1.13 ERA this spring. Unfortunately he never pitches well in the regular season; 5.00 last year; 5.99 for his career.

Triston McKenzie, Juan Brito keep roster hopes alive as Guardians split exhibition games against Cubs, Royals

Updated: Mar. 10, 2025, 8:04 p.m.|Published: Mar. 10, 2025, 7:08 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Locked in competitions for potential spots on the Guardians opening day roster, Triston McKenzie and Juan Brito were desperate to get themselves going entering Monday’s split-squad game against the Cubs at Goodyear Ballpark.

McKenzie had struggled to command the strike zone in his previous outing, and Brito managed just one hit in his first 19 spring training at-bats. But McKenzie and Brito both delivered in Cleveland’s 7-4 spring training loss to Chicago, keeping themselves in the conversation for spots on the Guardians final roster as opening day creeps ever closer.

Cleveland’s travel party, meanwhile, jumped ahead early and claimed a 5-2 win against Kansas City in Surprise, Ariz.

McKenzie eased some nerves by pitching into the fourth inning, striking out three Cubs and allowing two earned runs. The 27-year-old righty did not issue a walk and kept the ball in the park, limiting Chicago batters to just a pair of doubles among their seven hits.

McKenzie was coming off an appearance against the White Sox last week that saw him walk five and retire just two of the seven batters he faced.

He worked out of trouble in the second after Chicago put two runners in scoring position with one out. McKenzie, whose fastball topped out at 95.2 mph, struck out Reese McGuire and Jonathan Long to keep the game scoreless.

Brito, trying win the starting job at second base, drilled a three-run home run off Cubs All-Star lefty Shota Imanaga as Cleveland scored four in the bottom of the second.

Lane Thomas opened the inning with a solo blast against Imanaga, his second home run of spring training, giving him a team-high eight RBI. Jhonkensy Noel singled and Daniel Schneemann drew a one-out walk to set up Brito’s home run.

Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez kept the inning going with base hits, but Kwan was thrown out by McGuire as he was trying to steal third to end Cleveland’s threat.

Chicago scored twice in the third on RBI singles by Matt Shaw and Gage Workman off McKenzie. Paul Sewald allowed two runs on three hits as he struggled in the sixth, and Jack Leftwich allowed a pair of runs (one earned) in the seventh.

Hunter Gaddis pitched a scoreless fifth on 13 pitches with one strikeout.

Guardians (SS) 5, Royals 2

Meanwhile, at Surprise Stadium, Ben Lively and Will Wilson took care of the Royals as the Guards' travel party prevailed with a 5-2 Cactus League win.

Lively struck out three Royals batters in four scoreless innings. After tossing three shutout frames against Colorado last week, the 33-year-old righty scattered three hits and walked one on 55 pitches.

Wilson collected his first spring home run in the second inning after Johnathan Rodriguez drew a one-out walk against Kris Bubic. He added a two-out RBI single against Michael Lorenzen in the fourth that put Cleveland in front 3-0. Wilson has five RBI and three extra-base hits in 19 spring at-bats.

C.J. Kayfus drove in a run with a base hit off KC righty John Schreiber in the seventh, and Jose Devers belted his second spring home run in the eighth to give Cleveland a five-run lead.

Tanner Burns allowed a hit and struck out a batter in a scoreless fifth, and Kolby Allard fanned a pair in two shutout innings before Will Dion allowed a pair of runs on five hits in the eighth.

Dion, making his third spring appearance, struck out four and now has 11 punchouts in six innings, good for second-best on the staff.

Cleveland is now 7-9-1 in exhibition play. The Cubs improved their record to 11-4-3, while the Royals fell to 10-7-1.

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The Guardians split their split-squad games today, losing a game late to the Cubs 7-4 and beating the Royals 5-2. Good news is that they one both games while the starters were still in.

Some observations in the Cubs' game:

-Triston McKenzie had 13 swings and misses. That's good. He didn't walk anyone. That's good. He allowed 7 hits and only 2 of the 15 curveball he threw were in the strike zone. I think we have to allow for the Arizona air's effect on curveballs... but the jury is definitely still out on whether or not McKenzie's command will be enough to keep him in a major league rotation. I really hope so because it's so fun to watch him pitch.

-Lane Thomas has been absolutely crushing the ball in Spring Training and hit a couple more over 107 mph here including a homer.

-Juan Brito hit a homer 101 mph while starting at second base. I wish we would just ride with him from day one but I know they won't so I have stopped hoping to see him in Cleveland before May.

-Hunter Gaddis and Jakob Junis were good in relief. Paul Sewald was... not.

-Kwan, Jose Ramirez, Burgos, Brennan, Noel and Pries also got hits.

Some observations from the Royals game:

-Ben Lively was good again. Four scoreless, allowing three hits and one walk and striking out three. Just put him in as your fifth starter if you ask me. He's a grinder.

-Koby Allard has had a great spring and threw two more scoreless innings. I wonder what his chances are of making the roster...

-Players with two hits in this game: CJ Kayfus and Will Wilson (including a 110 mph exit velo three-run bomb).

-Other players with a hit: Gabriel Arias and Angel Martinez each hit doubles, and Yordyz Valdez, Tyler Freeman, Kyle Manzardo, Kody Huff, Jose Devers and Cooper Ingle added singles. Rocchio didn't get a hit but did tag a ball at 108 mph.

-Players who took a walk: Johnathan Rodriguez and Cooper Ingle.

Injuries to rookies will test bullpen’s depth: Guardians breakfast today

Updated: Mar. 10, 2025, 11:30 a.m.|Published: Mar. 10, 2025, 6:00 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Two of the relievers who helped the Guardians down the stretch last season have been slowed by injury in spring training.

Left-hander Erik Sabrowski joined the Guardians on Aug. 28 of last season from Triple-A Columbus. Right-hander Andrew Walters was promoted to Cleveland on Sept. 12.

Sabrowski, 27, threw 12 2/3 scoreless innings in eight games at the end of the regular season for Cleveland. He struck out 19 and allowed four walks.

n the postseason, he made five appearances, allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings.

Walters, 24, allowed one unearned run in 8 2/3 innings over nine regular season games. He made four postseason appearances, allowing one run in three innings.

The success of Sabrowski and Walters in their first taste of the big leagues was a case of the rich getting richer. The Guardians already had the best bullpen in the big leagues with Emmanuel Clase, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis and Case Smith at the core. Sabrowski and Walters were window dressing, two rookies to watch in 2025 and beyond.

The Guardians announced on Saturday that Sabrowski had received an injection because of pain in his left elbow. Sabrowski, who has yet to throw in a Cactus League game this spring, has had Tommy John surgery twice on that elbow.

On Sunday, manager Stephen Vogt said Walters experienced soreness in his right shoulder after his one and only Cactus League appearance on Feb. 24 against Arizona. Walters, a Competitive Round B pick in the 2023 draft, was scheduled to throw a bullpen Sunday, but with the regular season opening on March 27, his chances of breaking camp with the big-league club aren’t good.

The signing of veteran relievers Paul Sewald and Jakob Junis carry more weight now than when they actually happened. So does the possibility of starters Logan Allen, Doug Nikhazy or Joey Cantillo making the bullpen as a second left-hander next to Herrin with Sabrowski headed for the injured list.

Spring-training invitee Kolby Allard, another lefty, has had a good camp as well.

The Guardians worked hard to add depth to the rotation and bullpen after they were caught short last year. The moves they made went hand-in-hand with having Sabrowski and Walters ready to join the core of the bullpen.

The timeline for that happening has been moved back. Hopefully, in the weeks and months ahead it gets back on track.

Trivia and breakfast

It’s brain-food Monday as we try to get a handle on who will be in the Guardians' starting rotation and bullpen. Some oatmeal and blueberries should help the cause.

While you’re kickstarting your brain — some people start with a glass of water — try to answer this bit of Guardians' trivia. What Guardians' pitcher is currently leading the Cactus and Grapefruit League in strikeouts. Answer below.

Next

Tuesday: LHP Doug Nikhazy (1-0, 0.00) vs. Dodgers' RHP Roki Sasaki (0-0, 0.00) at Glendale at 4:05 p.m. E.T.

Wednesday: Giants vs. LHP Joey Cantillo (1-1, 6.00) at 4:05 p.m. E.T. WTAM/1100.

Thursday: Guardians vs. Rockies at Scottsdale at 4:05 p.m. E.T. CleGuardians.TV, WTAM/1100.

Friday: Seattle vs. Guardians at Goodyear at 4:05 p.m. E.T. Seattle vs. Guardians at Goodyear in Spring Breakout game at 8:05 p.m. E.T. CleGuardians.TV, MLB audio.

Trivia answer

Right-hander Gavin Williams leads the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues with 16 strikeouts.