Cleveland Sports Forum

Freeman had a good series hitting leadoff vs the Rangers. He doesn't usually draw a lot of walks but he did so more than usual in Texas with 3 in the 3 games

Dodgers Acquire Anthony Banda From Guardians

By Darragh McDonald | May 17, 2024 at 2:00pm CDT

The Guardians announced that they have traded left-hander Anthony Banda to the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations. The southpaw was not on Cleveland’s 40-man and therefore won’t need to be added to the Dodgers’ roster.

Banda, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Guards in January. He has been pitching for their Triple-A club, throwing 17 innings over 12 appearances. He has a 2.12 earned run average in that time, striking out 37.9% of batters faced, giving out walks at a 9.1% rate and getting grounders on 67.9% of balls in play. It’s a small sample but it seems to have intrigued the Dodgers enough to put some cash on the barrel to get a deal done.

The lefty was once a notable starting pitching prospect but underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018, which wiped out the remainder of that season and most of the following year as well. Since that time, he’s spent more time as a reliever but has struggled to establish himself in that role.

He has bounced to the Mets, Pirates, Blue Jays, Yankees and Nationals since the start of 2021. That’s partly due to him burning his final option year in 2020 but also his struggles in recent seasons. He has thrown 67 1/3 big league innings over the past three years with a 5.48 ERA, 21.1% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate. He also threw 126 1/3 innings in the minors during the 2021-23 period with a 6.91 ERA, though that’s likely somewhat misleading. His 20.9% strikeout rate and 9.7% walk rate were both similar to his major league work, but his .345 batting average on balls in play and 51.7% strand rate were both on the unlucky side for that stretch.

The Dodgers will see if the recent improvement in his results can be continued. If it does, they can reap long-term benefits. Banda came into this year with three years and one day of major league service time. There’s not enough time left in this season for him to get to the four-year mark. That means he could potentially be retained for three seasons beyond this one.

First, he will have to get a spot on the Dodgers’ roster. They already have Alex Vesia, Ryan Yarbrough and Nick Ramirez as southpaws in their bullpen but Banda will give them some non-roster depth in that department.

From ESPN Power Rankings

6. Cleveland Guardians
Record: 27-17
Previous ranking: 6

The Guardians are third in the AL in runs scored despite ranking 10th in batting average, sixth in OBP and eighth in slugging percentage. Their best numbers, however, have come with runners in scoring position: .290/.382/.470. Their .852 OPS with RISP is the third-highest in the majors behind the Brewers and Rangers. Andres Gimenez is hitting .447 with RISP while Gimenez, David Fry, Estevan Florial, Bo Naylor, Josh Naylor and Will Brennan each have an OPS over .900. It's working so far, but the Guardians are unlikely to remain as hot all season in those situations. -- Schoenfield

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/401 ... ins-royals

So far, so good.

Injuries & Moves: Kwan eyeing rehab assignment; DeLauter taking BP

By MLB.com Staff

12:58 PM EDT

LATEST NEWS

May 19: LF Steven Kwan (left hamstring) could begin rehab assignment in seven to 10 days
Kwan has been asymptomatic while running and taking batting practice on the field. As long as that continues, Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said the hope is that Kwan could begin his rehab assignment in seven to 10 days.

May 19: OF Chase DeLauter (left foot fracture) takes batting practice on the field with Double-A Akron
The Guardians' No. 1 prospect has resumed baseball activities now that it is official he does not need to undergo surgery on his left foot. He's already started hitting on the field and is waiting to begin a running progression before he can get back into game action.

• All Guardians transactions

10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

OF Steven Kwan (acute left hamstring strain)

Expected return: June

Kwan resumed baseball activities, including running and taking on-field batting practice on May 17. Assuming he remains asymptomatic, the plan is to have him begin his rehab assignment during the week of May 26.

An MRI exam done on May 5 revealed that Kwan, who was injured while making a play in the outfield the day prior, would miss approximately four weeks. He paced the American League in batting average at .353 and had gone an MLB-best 74 consecutive plate appearances without striking out at the time of his injury. (Last updated: May 19)

OF Chase DeLauter (left foot fracture; No. 1 prospect on Guardians Top 30 Propsects list)

The Guardians can breathe a sigh of relief. DeLauter has begun hitting on the field and is waiting to begin a running progression. For now, he'll remain on the Minor League 7-day injured list with Double-A Akron. But he has not gotten into game action since his last game on April 25 and the team doesn't have a timetable for his return just yet. (Last updated: May 19)

RHP Eli Morgan (right shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: May
Morgan was placed on the 15-day IL on April 17 due to right shoulder inflammation. He pitched in nine games, posting a 2.16 ERA over 8 1/3 innings. Morgan made his second rehab appearance with Triple-A Columbus on May 7, allowing two earned runs and two walks while logging one strikeout in one-third of an inning.

Manager Stephen Vogt confirmed that Morgan is feeling better, but that there is no set number of appearances the team is looking for him to make before activating him off the IL. (Last updated: May 9)

60-DAY IL

RHP Gavin Williams (right elbow discomfort)
Expected return: June
Williams made his three-inning start in Arizona to begin his rehab process, but he felt the same discomfort in his elbow after the outing that he did in Spring Training. He received an anti-inflammatory injection on April 24 and was shut down for seven days after that before he was cleared by Dr. Jason Genin to begin throwing. He threw a successful 50-pitch bullpen on May 15 and is expected to increase that pitch count in his next bullpen on May 17.

This began in the middle of Spring Training when Williams made an awkward throw during his weighted-ball workout and felt discomfort in his throwing elbow. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on May 9 to clear a roster spot for Darren McCaughan. (Last updated: May 15)

RHP James Karinchak (right shoulder fatigue)
Expected return: At least the end of May
Karinchak reported to camp with right shoulder fatigue. He was given the green light to begin a throwing program on March 11 and joined the big league team on April 25 to work with the Guardians' training staff. Assuming all goes well, his rehab assignment will be in the near future.

Because he opened the year on the 60-day IL, he'll need to wait until at least the end of May before he can return to game action. (Last updated: April 25)

INF Angel Martínez (fractured hamate)
Expected return: Late May or June
Martinez was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 17 with a fractured hamate. On April 17, he submitted a surgical intervention with Dr. Thomas Graham at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Bethlehem, Pa. (Last updated: April 17)

RHP Shane Bieber (right elbow injury)
Expected return: 2025
Bieber was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 10, and there's no return in sight for Cleveland's ace. He wasn't bouncing back as well as he is used to after his Opening Day start and elbow pain persisted throughout his outing in Seattle.

Bieber underwent imaging that revealed the same problems with his UCL that he had last year. He underwent UCL surgery on April 12. He'll report to Goodyear, Ariz., to begin his rehab. (Last updated: April 13)

RHP Trevor Stephan (UCL surgery)
Expected return: 2025
When Stephan's elbow was examined for discomfort on Feb. 28, a deep bone bruise was discovered. But after it continued to nag him, other opinions were needed. It was determined that his UCL is not providing adequate stability, which caused even more pain in the elbow.

Stephan underwent surgery on March 27 and was given a 12 to 16 month timetable for recovery. (Last updated: March 28)

RHP Daniel Espino (right shoulder capsule and rotator cuff injury; No. 5 on Guardians Top 30 Prospects list)
Espino underwent surgery to repair his right shoulder capsule and rotator cuff injuries on March 13. He's expected to stay in Goodyear, Ariz., to work through his rehab. Although the Guardians don't have a firm timetable on when he may return to action, the team does not expect him to pitch during the 2024 season. (Last updated: May 15)

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Guardians Designate Ramon Laureano For Assignment
By Steve Adams | May 20, 2024 at 1:11pm CDT

The Guardians have designated outfielder Ramon Laureano for assignment, tweets Zack Meisel of The Athletic. In his place, the team is promoting outfield prospect Johnathan Rodriguez for his MLB debut. Rodriguez is already on the 40-man roster, so the move also frees up a 40-man spot for Cleveland. Guardians Prospective first reported that Rodriguez was getting the call to the big leagues.

Laureano, 29, came to the Guardians early last August after the A’s placed him on waivers in hopes of finding a taker for the remainder of last season’s salary. The Guardians obliged, hoping that Laureano would provide a boost down the stretch as they tried to keep pace in the American League Central. The veteran did provide a bit of offense, hitting .243/.342/.382 following the claim (106 wRC+), but the Guards wound up missing the postseason.

It was something of a surprise to see a budget-conscious team like Cleveland tender Laureano a contract this winter. He wound up agreeing to a $5.15MM salary, which amounted to a significant portion of the Guardians’ very limited offseason resources. The team made that commitment despite Laureano having turned in a bleak .224/.304/.371 slash (91 wRC+) on the season overall — and a .218/.296/.373 batting line in 2022-23 combined (93 wRC+).

The decision didn’t go at all as the Cleveland front office or the player himself hoped. Laureano’s strikeout rate has absolutely erupted to a career-worst 38.6% this season. He’s hitting just .143/.265/.229, albeit in a small sample of 83 plate appearances. Just four of his 10 hits have gone for extra bases (one homer, three doubles). The Guardians will have a week to try to trade Laureano, place him on outright waivers or release him.

Given the pronounced nature of Laureano’s struggles at the dish and his relatively notable salary, they won’t find a trade market for his services. Laureano is overwhelmingly unlikely to go unclaimed on waivers due to that salary and will thus likely clear and become a free agent. He has enough service time to retain all of his salary even if he rejects an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Earlier in his career, Laureano was a quality regular in Oakland. From 2018-21, he turned in a sound .263/.335/.465 batting line (119 wRC+) with 49 homers and 34 steals over the life of 1257 plate appearances. That came while playing strong defense across all three outfield spots. Laureano was an oft-rumored trade candidate and might well have been part of Oakland’s fire sale, but an 80-game PED suspension midway through the 2021 season tanked his value. That proved all the more costly, as his suspension surely played a role in pushing the A’s to part with left-hander Jesus Luzardo to acquire Starling Marte from the Marlins in a rental deal while Oakland made a push for the postseason.

As for the 24-year-old Rodriguez, he’ll step into the Cleveland outfield for his MLB debut after hitting .276/.389/.449 in 185 Triple-A plate appearances this season. The 2017 third-rounder entered the season ranked 23rd among Guarda farmhands at Baseball America, 16th at MLB.com and 30th at FanGraphs.

The 6’0″, 225-pound Rodriguez draws praise for his plus raw power but also some skepticism for his penchant to chase and whiff. He’s walked in a huge 15.7% of his plate appearances in Triple-A Columbus but also fanned at a 25.4% clip. That’s a suboptimal mark against Triple-A pitching but also a marked improvement over 2023’s 32.4% strikeout rate in 202 Triple-A plate appearances. Rodriguez is a former switch-hitter who now bats exclusively from the right side of the plate. He popped 29 homers between Double-A and Triple-A last season, and he’s already slugged seven long balls on the season.

Strikeouts will likely continue to be a part of his game, but probably not to the extremes that Laureano experienced this season. Rodriguez will also add some legitimate thump to a Cleveland lineup that in recent years has been light on power but is turning a corner this season. Thanks in part to a big step forward from emerging star Josh Naylor, the Guards rank ninth in the majors with 51 big flies on the season. Rodriguez gives them another power bat. He won’t be nearly as strong a defender in the outfield corners as Laureano was, but MLB.com pegs him as a potentially average right fielder and Baseball America touts his plus throwing arm.

Guardians designate veteran OF for assignment, promote No. 16 prospect
Updated: May. 20, 2024, 4:10 p.m.|Published: May. 20, 2024, 2:26 p.m.
Ramón Laureano
The Guardians designated outfielder Ramón Laureano for assignment ahead of Monday's series opener against the Mets.Getty Images





By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians have parted ways with struggling outfielder Ramón Laureano, designating the seven-year veteran for assignment ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Mets at Progressive Field.

In a related move, Cleveland recalled outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez from Triple-A Columbus to take Laureano’s spot on the active roster.

Rodriguez, the club’s No. 16 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was added to the 40-man roster in November after his best year as a professional in 2023. A third-round pick in the 2017 draft, Rodriguez was an Eastern League All-Star and the Guardians Hitting Prospect of the Year in 2023 according to MLB.com.


He split last season between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, batting .289 with 18 home runs, 55 RBI and an .876 OPS for the RubberDucks. After moving to the Clippers in late July, Rodriguez hit .280 with 11 home runs, 33 RBI and a .936 OPS.

Manager Stephen Vogt said Rodriguez has hit the ball well since opening with Columbus in March.

“He’s been driving the ball all over the ballpark, been playing pretty good defense and really starting to mature and develop as a player overall,” Vogt said. “Really excited to have JRod here and see what he can bring.”




In 156 at-bats for Columbus this year, Rodriguez has a .276 average with seven home runs, 28 RBI and an .838 OPS.

Laureano, 29, joined Cleveland in August 2023 after he was released by Oakland. In 41 games for Cleveland last year, he hit .243 with three home runs, 14 RBI and 41 strikeouts. His .342 on-base percentage after joining the roster Aug. 7 was fourth-best on the club. Laureano reached base safely in 24 of his final 32 games to finish year and posted an .808 OPS after Aug. 24.

The Guardians avoided arbitration with Laureano and signed him to a $5.15 million contract for the 2024 campaign. But the 29-year-old right handed hitter struggled to get on track in the club’s first 47 games. Laureano hit .143 with one home run and four RBI to go along with 32 strikeouts in 83 plate appearances across 31 games.


Vogt said it was a disappointing day with having to release Laureano, a teammate of the Guardians skipper when he was in Oakland.

“It was just time, on both sides,” Vogt said. “Not a fun day or decision, but we wish Ramón nothing but the best and we’re excited that JRod’s here.”

Rodriguez, meanwhile, is tied for fourth in the organization in home runs, RBI and total bases. He has appeared in 26 games in right field and 12 in left while batting .346 with runners in scoring position.

Vogt said the Guardians believe Rodriguez is ready to see what he can do against major league pitching.

“He’s worked really hard and done some things that we asked of him coming out of spring,” Vogt said. “Andy Tracy (Triple-A manager) does such a good job down there of helping those guys develop into major leaguers. We couldn’t be more thankful for the work that Trace and all the guys that have put their hands on ‘em down there in Columbus.”

I can't say the news comes as no surprise. I don't think Rodriguez could do any worse.
I not going to lose any sleep over Laureano's departure.

Tena for Arias should be next.

Player swaps and crop tops: The Cleveland Guardians’ winning ways won’t stop
May 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (27) celebrates after hitting a bunt single during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
By Zack Meisel
38m ago
4

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CLEVELAND — Since Friday, Austin Hedges has been wearing a red T-shirt that reads “Chicks Dig The Long Ball.” It was recently mailed to Cleveland Guardians starter Triston McKenzie, who passed it on to his catcher. Hedges snipped the sleeves and the midriff to convert the shirt into a crop top.

Hedges said Wednesday morning the shirt “is hot,” and while, yes, that’s a reference to his exposed bellybutton, it’s more a nod to the reason he has worn it before each of the last six games: The Guardians haven’t lost.

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Through 50 games, they sit at 33-17. As of late Wednesday afternoon, only the Philadelphia Phillies boasted a better record. They swept the Minnesota Twins over the weekend. They swept the New York Mets to start this week. Next, they head out on a trip to battle two of the lowest clubs in the league, the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies.

Everything they do is working.

Take, for instance, the heartbeat of the lineup so far this season (or at least since Steven Kwan landed on the injured list). On Nov. 22, 2021, the Guardians flipped pitcher J.C. Mejía to the Milwaukee Brewers for a player to be named. Cleveland had targeted David Fry, but he was eligible for the Rule 5 draft. If another team selected Fry, the Guardians would have chosen a different player. Instead, the league entered a 99-day lockout, which wiped out the Rule 5 draft altogether. Fry reported to Brewers spring training, and on his first day in camp, in the middle of a catching session, a team official told him he was being traded to Cleveland.

Fast forward two years. Fry’s statue is being erected on the center field plaza, fit with him gripping the golden bat that has produced a 1.076 OPS. Manager Stephen Vogt referred to him as the team’s “heart and soul behind the scenes.” Mejía, meanwhile, is serving his second PED suspension, this one a 162-game ban.


That swap just might pan out for the Guardians.

One of their first decisions over the winter was to sign Ben Lively, a journeyman pitcher they originally drafted 14 years ago. Lively sported a career 5.05 ERA and had spent three years pitching in South Korea starting in 2019. But in seven starts with Cleveland, he has recorded a 2.84 ERA, helping to stabilize a rotation left for dead after a season-ending elbow injury to Shane Bieber and an elbow setback for Gavin Williams.

Lively’s starts with 4+ innings and 0 or 1 earned run allowed, before 2024: 6 of 32 starts

Lively’s starts with 4+ innings and 0 or 1 earned run allowed, in 2024: 4 of 7 starts

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That signing just might pay dividends for the Guardians.

This isn’t your older sibling’s Cleveland rotation. This is a patchwork effort that has 63-year-old pitching coach Carl Willis doing some of his best work. Willis’ fellow coaches dubbed him the Walking TrackMan because he can forecast the metrics the computers will spit out just by watching his pitchers’ motions.

“He’s the steady rock that we all need,” Vogt said. “He’s forgotten more than we all know or have seen. He’s that voice of calm and reason.”

Xzavion Curry flew to Omaha, Neb., with Triple-A Columbus on Monday morning. A half-hour after the Clippers arrived at their hotel, Curry returned to the airport and caught a flight to Cleveland, through Chicago. The next evening, he started against the Mets in place of Carlos Carrasco, the latest starter to land on the shelf.

Curry has had a nightmarish season with Columbus (8.79 ERA), but he’s offered critical aid in two key spot starts for the Guardians.

Everything is working.


Carlos Santana had ripped a pair of hard-struck lineouts off Tanner Bibee on Sunday, and as Santana approached the plate with the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the seventh inning, Vogt readied to make a pitching change. Before Vogt could emerge from the dugout, bench coach Craig Albernaz said to him: “What if you go challenge him?”

Vogt walked to the mound and told Bibee he was going to strike out Santana. He did.

“We want this guy to be a dude for us,” Vogt said, “and that’s what guys do. They step up in those big moments.”

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That decision worked out for the Guardians.

Vogt spoke throughout the spring about wanting his relievers to be able to handle any situation presented to them. On Monday, he summoned Cade Smith to protect a two-run lead in the eighth inning. Smith didn’t even learn he would occupy an Opening Day roster spot until about eight hours before the first pitch of the season. It hasn’t taken him long to earn his manager’s trust. On Wednesday, he silenced the Mets in the ninth with a bevy of 98 mph heaters.

“I thought he was throwing 120 (mph),” Hedges said. “… That’s as good of a fastball as I’ve caught.”

Tim Herrin lowered his ERA to 0.87 on Wednesday. Hunter Gaddis dropped his to 1.85. Smith’s sits at 2.01.

A year ago, respectively, they were a mop-up reliever, a spot starter and a Triple-A closer. Now, they’re three relievers Vogt calls upon with no hesitation.

“They take the ball whenever,” Vogt said, “and against whomever.”

Even the staunchest believer in the Guardians rebounding in 2024 couldn’t have drawn it up this way. Maybe Bieber and Williams fueled some confidence. Maybe Trevor Stephan and James Karinchak would solidify the back end of the bullpen. Maybe Kyle Manzardo, George Valera, Chase DeLauter and Juan Brito would ignite the lineup.

Instead, it’s Fry. It’s Lively. It’s Gaddis and Smith and Herrin. It’s Tyler Freeman patrolling center field like it’s his natural position. It’s Johnathan Rodriguez selecting the perfect spot to deliver his first career hit (and go-ahead RBI). It’s the Guardians completing a series sweep in a game in which Gabriel Arias batted fifth, Emmanuel Clase was unavailable and Triston McKenzie admitted his stuff wasn’t up to his standards.


They won because Hedges, the good-humored-but-heavy-footed backup catcher, dropped down a bunt single to spark a rally that erased their deficit. Hedges didn’t even decide to bunt until Mets starter Jose Quintana was halfway through his windup.

The Guardians are 14-7 against teams with winning records. They’re 18-6 at Progressive Field, a ballpark that has become a home run launching pad, a factor that no longer intimidates a once singles-reliant offense. They’re 24-1 when leading after six innings and 28-0 when leading after eight, a testament to what has been the league’s most prolific bullpen.

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If they play .500 ball the rest of the way, they’ll wind up with 89 wins, which would almost assuredly secure them a couple of October first-pitch times. And that should lead to some pressure on the front office to supplement this group with outside help.

This start has to exceed their expectations, especially with a new manager at the helm. The Guardians didn’t remain quiet all winter because they assumed their roster needed no upgrades. They remained quiet all winter because there was so much to sort out with the roster, and no quick fix to eliminate their potential deficiencies.

They were searching for evidence that the team was heading in the right direction. Now they have it.

“We treat every game like a playoff game,” Hedges said. “Every game matters. Every year, you look up at the beginning of October and there (are) two, three, four teams that missed the playoffs by a game. And that game might have happened in April, May. It doesn’t matter when it happens. It’s one game. There are a lot of teams that go out there and think they’re just going to roll through the season and then turn it on for the playoffs. We’re playing baseball so that when the playoffs come, nothing has to change.”

What Guardians Expect From Johnathan Rodriguez

Johnathan Rodriguez looks to impact the Cleveland Guardians roster in a variety of ways.

Tommy Wild | 2 Hours Ago

Johnathan Rodriguez is a player that Cleveland Guardians fans have been hearing about down in the farm system for a few seasons now. The time has finally come when he’s a part of the Big League roster and the idea of what Rodriguez can do for this team is more than exciting.

But what is the plan for J-Rod? Stephen Vogt weighed in on what they’re expecting from the right-handed power hitter before his Major League start on Tuesday.

https://youtu.be/Ql6TXpYZK1w

“He’s been facing righties, lefties, and everybody at Triple-A He’s going to fit into our outfield mix. He’s going to get an opportunity to DH sometimes too. So, we’re looking for J-Rod to give us some right-handed pop to the order,” said Vogt.

The key takeaway from what Vogt says here is that it doesn’t sound like they’ll limit him to a platoon role right away. If Cleveland is looking for extra pop, J-Rod will be in the lineup.

Speaking of pop, that’s something else that Vogt says the Guardians are excited about along with his defensive potential.

“His presence alone in the batter’s box, he’s intimidating in there. Not only that but the outfield arm. He made some really nice plays in the outfield. We’ve been watching him practice and do his work with J.T. [Maguire] every day during spring training."

Rodriguez’s skills already make him a threat in the lineup, but Vogt also says it’s his mindset and work ethic that will help him be a big contributor to the team.

“This is a kid that wants to work hard, give it his all, and the power … we didn’t get a great chance to see it in-game during spring, but he’s been showing that in Columbus this year as well. We’re excited to see how he can impact the ball.”

<

Cleveland Guardians stats to know with stunning 36-17 start May 26, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians second base Andres Gimenez (0) and outfielder Tyler Freeman (2) celebrate the victory against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
By Zack Meisel
5h ago


The Cleveland Guardians are 36-17, tied for the best start in the 124-year history of the franchise. And, well, maybe this is more than a “start.” After all, if Stephen Vogt’s club plays .500 ball the rest of the way, it’ll wind up clearing the 90-win mark.

The club has raced out to a 36-17 record on three other occasions: 1995 (reached the World Series), 1954 (reached the World Series) and 1920 (won the World Series).

The Kansas City Royals went 8-1 in their last nine games and actually dropped a game in the AL Central standings over that span. Cleveland’s nine-game winning streak is its longest since its record-setting 22-game win streak in 2017.

Every statistic seems to be glistening for the Guardians at the moment. Here are a bunch more to recite at your Memorial Day cookout.
go-deeper

GO DEEPER

Player swaps and crop tops: The Cleveland Guardians' winning ways won't stop

José Ramírez, in one of his frequent, slap-happy pregame moods last week, rushed out of the Guardians’ clubhouse to head to the weight room. As he exited, he pointed at Ramón Laureano’s empty locker stall and shouted that the veteran outfielder had been designated for assignment and he didn’t want to be next.

He’s probably safe.

Over his last 20 games, Ramírez has as many home runs (10) as strikeouts. He should wind up at No. 2 on Cleveland’s all-time home run leaderboard by the end of the summer.

1. Jim Thome, 337
2. Albert Belle, 242
3. Manny Ramirez, 236
4. José Ramírez, 231
5. Earl Averill, 226

Remember when Ramírez entered the 2016 season as a 23-year-old with a career .239/.298/.346 slash line in 180 games? It’s hard to believe this is the same guy, but a good reminder that players develop on different timelines.

Ramírez’s career high is 39 home runs, set in 2018. He’s on pace for 46, which would be the most by a Cleveland hitter since Thome slugged a franchise-record 52 in 2002.

As a team, the Guardians entered Sunday tied for ninth in the majors with 59 home runs, almost halfway to last year’s MLB-worst total of 124. Last season, they hit their 59th home run in their 88th game.

Ramírez has a league-leading 52 RBIs, nearly one per game. Manny Ramirez, the franchise record-holder with 165 RBIs in 1999, had 68 RBIs through 53 games that year.

The Guardians are 31-0 when ahead after eight innings, which is quite the endorsement of closer Emmanuel Clase, who leads the league with 17 saves.

Even more impressive: They’re 27-1 when ahead after six innings. Their middle relief has been elite, too.

Outside of a shaky, four-game stretch in Atlanta and Houston a month ago, Hunter Gaddis has not allowed a run all season. Hitters are 1-for-24 against Nick Sandlin with runners in scoring position. Hitters have a .430 OPS against Tim Herrin.

Clase, Sandlin, Gaddis, Herrin and Cade Smith have combined for a 1.41 ERA.

The top three teams, by bullpen ERA, entering Sunday’s action:

1. Guardians, 2.49
2. Yankees, 2.84
3. Dodgers, 3.30

That gap between first and third is greater than the gap between third and 20th on the bullpen ERA leaderboard.

Clase could eclipse Cody Allen as the franchise’s all-time saves leader by the end of the season.

1. Cody Allen, 149
2. Bob Wickman, 139
3. Doug Jones, 129
4. Emmanuel Clase, 127
5. Chris Perez, 124

“(He’s) somebody who wants to be the best,” Vogt said. “(He) isn’t satisfied with being OK or pretty good. He wants to be elite. That’s an absolute weapon.”

The rotation has done its best to match the bullpen lately, too.

Ben Lively, a career journeyman, has a 2.80 ERA in eight starts. During his best eight-game stretch prior to this one, he posted a 3.70 ERA for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017. The Guardians are 10-1 in Tanner Bibee’s starts. They’ve scored 72 runs in Logan Allen’s 11 starts, which has granted him time to find a rhythm. Triston McKenzie has logged a 2.52 ERA over his last seven starts.

Even with an 0-for-4 showing Sunday, David Fry’s first two months have been otherworldly. He has appeared in 36 games and has posted a 1.087 OPS. Only 12 other hitters in franchise history have been as productive in their first 36 appearances of a season. (Tris Speaker and Albert Belle made this list twice. It’s fabled company … and also Chuck Essegian.)
Best 36-game starts by a CLE hitter
Joe Jackson

1913

1.285
David Justice

1997

1.214
Albert Belle

1994

1.174
Manny Ramirez

1995

1.168
Nap Lajoie

1902

1.167
Tris Speaker

1921

1.167
Albert Belle

1996

1.148
Earl Averill

1938

1.129
Victor Martinez

2009

1.129
Al Rosen

1954

1.111
Jim Thome

1996

1.104
Tris Speaker

1920

1.100
Toby Harrah

1982

1.097
Chuck Essegian

1962

1.096
David Fry

2024

1.087

Fry is a driving factor for the team’s 10-2 standing against left-handed starters this season. He entered Sunday with a 1.551 OPS against southpaws.

Guardians vs. lefties in 2023: .232/.296/.367 (an OPS 21 percent below league average)
Guardians vs. lefties in 2024: .263/.336/.466 (an OPS 28 percent above league average)

Fry has thrived at home (1.084 OPS), on the road (1.165 OPS), with runners in scoring position (1.211 OPS), against starters (.994 OPS), against relievers (1.251 OPS), at night (1.100 OPS), in the day (1.177 OPS), in a box (1.145 OPS), with a fox (1.023 OPS), in a house (1.272 OPS) and with a mouse (1.410 OPS).

Remember the Guardians’ lone three-game losing streak this season? You know, that one against the … um … mighty New York Yankees? Nope. The Atlanta Braves? No. The defending champion Rangers? Try again. Surely, the reigning AL Central champion Minnesota Twins? Nah.

Oh, that’s right: The only time the Guardians have lost more than two in a row in 2024? Their miserable weekend in Chicago in early May, against the sad-sack White Sox, owners of the league’s worst record.

What a logic-defying sport.

The Guardians have lost consecutive games only three other times. They dropped both ends of a doubleheader against the Yankees on their first homestand. They suffered a pair of gut-punch walk-off losses in Atlanta and Houston at the end of April. And after losing the series finale in Houston, they landed back in Cleveland at 3 a.m. and then sleepwalked through a game against the Los Angeles Angels.

That’s it. Two months of baseball, four instances of consecutive losses.

MLB POWER RANKINGS

Power Rankings: Hottest team in baseball cracks Top 5

When the season began, one of the biggest stories was the blistering start by the Cleveland Guardians, who went 8-2 and 17-6, a launch that was particularly surprising considering this team didn’t look all that different than the one last year that disappointed from start to finish. The Guardians then came back down to earth a bit, and that made sense: Sure, they came out of the gates strong, but that sort of success was unsustainable. It’s the same team, after all!

Well, the Guardians are actually hotter now than they were then. They’re now in the midst of a nine-game winning streak -- their best since the wild 22 straight wins in 2017 -- that puts them percentage points ahead of the Yankees for the best record in the American League and, just as important, a 2 1/2 game lead in the AL Central. This streak might keep going: They’ve got the Rockies and the Nationals this week before a riveting series against the almost-as-hot Royals. The Guardians shot up to No. 3 in the Rankings this week. Pretty good for “the same team as last year.”

These rankings, as always, are compiled from rankings from MLB.com contributors whose names you can find at the bottom of this (and every) piece, but the words are mine. If you dislike the rankings, yell at all of us. But if you dislike the words, feel free to yell at me.

1. Phillies (previously: 1).
Season high: 1 | Season low: 8
Losing a series at Coors Field is no big deal: The Rockies, even when they’re not a good team overall, are always good at home. What’s strange is how the Phillies did it: by not hitting. One of the best offenses in baseball scored only two runs in two of the three games. When that's all you're managing at Coors Field, frankly, you’ve got to feel relieved you didn’t get swept entirely.

2. Yankees (previously: 3).
Season high: 2 | Season low: 7
Much has been made of the fact that Anthony Volpe’s hitting streak is the longest by a Yankee since Derek Jeter’s 19-game hit streak in 2012. If Volpe can make it to 24 this week, he’ll tie Don Mattingly’s streak in 1986, which is one short of Jeter’s career high of 25 in 2006. What’s the Yankees’ longest hit streak since Joe DiMaggio? That would be Joe Gordon, who reached 29 the year after DiMaggio’s 56. If we’re still talking about this in a week, Volpe will nearly be there.


3. Guardians (previously: 6).
Season high: 3 | Season low: 21
One of the fascinating aspects of the Guardians’ start is that José Ramírez has become a different player this year. He’s still hitting the ball hard -- he leads the Majors with 52 RBIs, and he’s more than halfway to his home run total of 24 last season -- but that has come with a lower on-base percentage. He’s actually 37 points lower than his career average in OBP … but 30 points up on his career slugging. His seven percent walk rate is by far the lowest of his career.
[MY NOTE: That's what's different about the whole team this year. Same hitting coach, different manager, different approach]

4. Orioles (previously: 4).
Season high: 1 | Season low: 5
The Orioles navigated the Yankees' hot streak last week, with a helpful sweep of the White Sox to get them back within two games in an AL East race that sure looks like it’s going to be the highlight of everybody’s summer and fall. Their buoyancy was particularly impressive considering they finally lost their 106-series sweepless streak this week, losing three straight to the Cardinals, of all teams. MLB.com’s Tom Tango calculated last week that the Orioles had 0.07 percent odds of going that long without being swept … which sure makes me think we’re not going to see a streak like that one again for quite some time.

5. Dodgers (previously: 2).
Season high: 1 | Season low: 6
Every team hits speed bumps during the regular season, even the best ones; heck, the 1998 Yankees started 1-4. So Dodgers fans shouldn’t panic during this five-game losing streak, even if the losses in Cincinnati were relentless and incessant over the weekend. Still, you can tell Los Angeles is getting a little antsy about its “inconsistent” offense by their urgency to get Shohei Ohtani back in Sunday’s lineup despite his bruised hamstring. And it didn’t help; Ohtani went 1-for-4, and the Dodgers lost, 4-1. Still, it’s hardly time to lose one’s bearings: Los Angeles is still up 5 1/2 games in the NL West, the second-largest margin for any current division leader.

6. Royals (previously: 8).
Season high: 6 | Season low: 24
The offensive outbursts that constituted the spine of the Royals’ thrilling eight-game win streak finally ended on Sunday afternoon against the Rays, but it’s worth reflecting again on how scorching Kansas City has been over the past week. The Royals scored eight runs or more in five consecutive games for the second time in franchise history (they hadn’t done it since 1978); it was the first time any team had done it since the Dodgers in 2021, from Sept. 29-Oct. 3. They’re for real, folks. They are not going anywhere.

Guardians Release Ramón Laureano
By Darragh McDonald | May 27, 2024 at 2:10pm CDT

The Guardians have released outfielder Ramón Laureano, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He’ll now head to the open market and will be free to explore opportunities with all clubs.

This was the most likely outcome when the Guardians designated Laureano for assignment last week. The outfielder’s production has been trending down for a few years now and is at an especially low point this year. The 29-year-old has hit .143/.265/.229 thus far in 2024 while striking out 38.6% of the time.

On top of his poor performance, his salary has been creeping up gradually via the arbitration process. He’s making $5.15MM this year and any team acquiring him via a waiver claim or trade would have been taking on that money. It’s unsurprising that no club wanted to take that on, given how he has been playing of late. He has more than five years of service time, meaning he can reject an outright assignment while also keeping that salary in place.

Now that he is a free agent, teams may be interested in a low-cost flier. Since he’s now been released, the Guardians are on the hook for what’s left of the money, meaning that any club that signs him would only be responsible for the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the roster. That amount would be subtracted from what the Guards pay.

It’s been a few years now, but Laureano was once a solid regular for the Athletics. From 2018 to 2021, he stepped to the plate 1,257 times for the A’s and hit 49 home runs. His .263/.335/.465 batting line translated to a wRC+ of 119, indicating he was 19% above league average in that time. He also stole 34 bases and was generally given strong defensive grades, leading FanGraphs to credit him with 8.6 wins above replacement in 313 games.

But towards the end of that 2021 season, he was given an 80-game PED suspension and his performance has been tailing off since then. He hit .211/.287/.376 in 2022 for a wRC+ of 95 and his offense slipped a bit farther in 2023. The A’s designated him for assignment in August of last year and the Guards put in a claim.

Moving to Cleveland seemed to spur a bit of a bounceback, as Laureano slashed .243/.342/.382 for a wRC+ of 106 down the stretch. That apparently intrigued the Guards enough that they tendered him a contract, agreeing to the aforementioned $5.15MM salary. But he has fallen off dramatically and now finds himself looking for his next opportunity.

As mentioned, Laureano can be signed to a major league roster at essentially no cost. Perhaps some club would give him a spot and see if he can play well enough over the next two months to be flipped for a lottery ticket prospect. Or even if no club is willing to bite on that, he should at least be able to find a minor league deal somewhere.

DENVER -- It’s May 29 and the Guardians are 19 games above .500 (37-18) -- something very few people would have predicted coming into the season. What’s gone right? What could be going better? What’s in store for the future?

Let’s try to answer some of those questions in this edition of the Guardians Inbox.

What have you heard about how the Guardians will approach the [No. 1 overall] pick? Is there a favorite? Also, who do you think will be the next position player to make their Major League debut? -- @FranmilsEyebrow

Unsurprisingly, the Guardians are keeping their cards close to their chest. But in MLB Pipeline expert Jim Callis’ latest mock draft, he cites other clubs believing Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana is higher on Cleveland’s list than Georgia outfielder/third baseman Charlie Condon. If the Guardians are solely trying to fill their lack of power, Condon may end up being the guy. But it wouldn’t be surprising if it’s one of these two players.

My best guess for the next position player debut is Daniel Schneemann. He’s more than earned a callup at this point as a 27-year-old raking with Triple-A Columbus. Plus, his defensive versatility is attractive, too. The Guardians just need to find room for him on the Major League roster.




Is Kyle Manzardo ever going to play in the field? He's a first baseman and Josh Naylor could probably use a day off. -- @MImblum

The Guardians were very clear that the plan will be for Manzardo (Cleveland's No. 2 prospect and No. 38 overall in MLB) to mostly stick to DH. He’s practicing in the outfield, but he’s never really played there before, so it might take time before that’s an option. On the days that Naylor gets to rest (which are very few), Manzardo will play first. But for now, expect the bulk of his reps to come as a DH.

Do you think Tyler Freeman stays in the lineup full-time when Steven Kwan gets back? -- @DaveyGoBucks

Freeman was in the lineup when Kwan was in the lineup before, so I don’t see that changing when Kwan gets back. Freeman has locked up center field for now, and since he’s been hitting the ball well, there’s no reason to take him out of the lineup. He’ll surely move out of the leadoff spot, but he won’t be out of the lineup altogether.




Is there a realistic chance we see Chase DeLauter in the big leagues this season? -- @Vogt_Enjoyer

For a brief moment, this answer was no. But because DeLauter (Cleveland's No. 1 prospect and No. 21 overall in MLB) was able to avoid surgery and was activated from the injured list in Akron on Tuesday, there is still a chance. However, missing a month of development time will significantly impact his timetable and he’ll need to show improvements from the way he started the season before he moves up the chain. It’s not a guarantee, but there’s a chance.

Do you think that they will be in on the starting pitching market at the Deadline (at this point)? -- @mlbfeeeli

At this point, yes. If the Guardians are in contention like they are now, they’ll need some starting depth, even if Gavin Williams is back and healthy.




Any chance Guardians can sign Shane Bieber to a one-year deal, and keep him for another season? -- @kevingillman9

The Guardians have a much better chance of pulling this off now than they did coming into the season. In January, it was all but certain that Bieber would no longer be in Cleveland beyond 2024. But after he learned he’d need right elbow surgery following his second start of the season, his value plummeted.

Maybe Bieber could’ve been traded at the Deadline this year. Maybe he would’ve walked into free agency. Regardless, the Guardians weren’t going to be the big spenders he was looking for, especially if he had a huge year this year. But with the risk that comes with a pitcher coming back from elbow surgery, teams may not be willing to scratch the biggest check. That puts Cleveland back in contention to re-sign its ace.

Bieber will certainly still try to test the market, but a reunion with the Guardians is no longer off the table.




What would you say is the biggest difference about this year’s team at this point of the season vs. last year? -- @Munited_ali

Two things: Power and Austin Hedges. The Guardians changed their hitting philosophy over the winter, making sure they’re impacting the ball rather than simply making contact to put the ball in play. And Hedges brings a veteran leadership and unmatched energy/positivity that was missing last year.




QUOTABLE

"I mean, whatever we ask, David [Fry] wants to help the team win. Bottom line. He loves baseball. He loves his teammates. And he’s pretty good at it. What he’s done for us since Kwanie went out, it’s been unbelievable. Like we’ve talked about, he’s earning more and more every time. And just can’t say enough about what he’s doing, hitting the ball out of the ballpark, playing left field, playing first, catching, stealing bases, scorpion sliding, all of the above. It’s just been awesome." --

Vogt on Fry’s impact, including his face-planting “scorpion slide” on Tuesday night

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Leroy 'Satchel' Paige, who pitched for Cleveland in 1948 and 1949, has had his statistics from pitching in the Negro Leagues added to his hall of fame record.AP



GUARDIANS

Negro Leagues statistics are finally part of MLB record after league incorporates database

Updated: May. 29, 2024, 6:07 p.m.|Published: May. 29, 2024, 3:39 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Move over, Ty Cobb, Major League Baseball has a new lifetime batting average leader. Josh Gibson moved into the top spot with a .372 career average Wednesday as statistics for more than 2,300 Negro Leagues players were officially welcomed into baseball’s record books.

Gibson, who died in 1947 and whose career spanned 14 seasons in the Negro National League II, also takes over the single-season records for slugging percentage (.718) and OPS (1.177) previously held by Babe Ruth (.690 and 1.164).

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the change, which was first announced in 2020 and comes on the heels of a three-year research project, is a show of respect for the great players who were limited to performing in the Negro Leagues due to circumstances that were beyond their control, but nonetheless demonstrated that they were truly major leaguers.

“Maybe the single biggest factor was the success of players who played in the Negro Leagues and then came to the big leagues,” Manfred told The AP.

The league announced in December 2020, six months after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, that it was time to “correct a longtime oversight” and add Negro Leagues to the official MLB record. A 17-member committee comprised of Negro Leagues historians and experts as well as statisticians was convened in order to consider how to implement the relevant numbers.

The committee included MLB official historian John Thorn, who said the pandemic-shortened 60-game season in 2020 played a role in opening some eyes among baseball historians as to how truncated Negro Leagues seasons should also fit under the scope of MLB’s records.


Major League Baseball’s official database will be updated and available to the public now with Negro Leagues figures included, such as Gibson’s hitting prowess and the sensational pitching of “Smokey” Joe Williams. Negro Leagues players who also eventually played in the majors after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 will also have their totals rectified.

Records that will be included come from the first Negro National League (1920-31), Eastern Colored League (1923-28), American Negro League (1929), East-West League (1932), Negro Southern League (1932), second Negro National League (1933-48) and Negro American League (1937-48). Manfred told The AP that barnstorming exhibition games featuring Negro Leagues teams will not be part of the database.

The database will go live before the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants face each other in a Negro Leagues tribute game June 20 at the recently-restored and renovated Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

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