Which arms will round out Guardians' 'pen?

By Mandy Bell

March 14, 2023 5:38 PM CDT

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --

Heading into camp, the Guardians knew they would have at least one spot to fill in their bullpen. Now that lefty Sam Hentges is dealing with left shoulder inflammation, two vacancies have opened up.

Cleveland slightly narrowed down its candidates prior to Tuesday’s 8-6 loss to the Angels at Goodyear Ballpark, optioning righty Jason Bilous to Triple-A Columbus and reassigning righty Caleb Simpson to Minor League camp.

“[Bilous] felt really good about his camp,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “He wants to throw his changeup more than he has in the past, which is OK, but you still have to command your fastball. He spins the breaking ball, he’s working on his slider, so the more consistent that gets, that's going to give him a better chance to maybe be a multi-inning reliever.”

There are two weeks remaining in Spring Training. Here’s a look at the relievers left in camp:

40-man candidates (Reminder: the 40-man roster is currently full, so these are the most likely options)

Tim Herrin:

With Hentges on the sidelines (though it doesn’t seem like he’ll be out of commission for too long), this paves the way for Herrin to fill the lefty need in the ‘pen. The left-hander had great numbers in a short stint in Double-A Akron last year, but he struggled more in Triple-A Columbus. He hasn’t had the greatest appearances in Cactus League play, but Francona noted that Herrin reminds him of Hentges a few years ago and is hoping Herrin is on the same path. Maybe he’s just a placeholder until Hentges is healthy, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make the Opening Day roster.

Hunter Gaddis, Konnor Pilkington, Xzavion Curry:

Let’s group this trio together. They’re all starters who are trying to prove they can one day be part of this rotation. With Cleveland's five starters already set, overcrowded rotations at each level of the farm system and an opening in the bullpen, it seems to make the most sense to move at least one of these guys to a relief role. Maybe Gaddis has a lead in that race, but it’s still too early to make a confident prediction.

Eventually Cody Morris:

Morris fits in the same starter-to-possibly-reliever category as the previous three hurlers. But because of his injury history, he’s even more likely to end up in this type of a role. He’s been dealing with the same back/shoulder issues that have plagued him the last few years, but the Guardians seem optimistic he’ll bounce back quickly this time. If that’s the case, he’s probably going to end up in the bullpen.

Non-roster invitees

Touki Toussaint:

Toussaint will be an interesting arm to continue to watch, but Opening Day might not be in the picture. The Guardians are looking to work with him on his fastball command, and the coaching staff has raved about his willingness to learn and adapt. It just might take more time before he’s in Cleveland.

Nick Mikolajchak:

Mikolajchak threw himself on to Cleveland’s radar in 2021 when he was in Double-A, owning a 3.18 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings. But last season in Triple-A, although his ERA was slightly lower than the year prior, he struggled more with his command, issuing 29 walks in 50 1/3 innings. His spring has been solid thus far -- and he will continue to be a candidate for Cleveland’s bullpen -- but Mikolajchak may need more time to develop in the Minors.

Other non-roster invitees:

Michael Kelly, who has given up just two hits and one earned run in 4 1/3 frames this spring but has just four big league games under his belt as he enters his age 30 season; Caleb Baragar, who owned a 1.57 ERA in 25 appearances with the Giants in 2021; Phillip Diehl, who hasn’t permitted a run in three spring games; Dusten Knight, whose rough outing against the White Sox at the beginning of the month (three earned runs in one inning) has skewed his spring numbers; Luis Oviedo, who has allowed two earned runs across five games this spring; and Cade Smith, who has had a decent spring with the Guardians but is currently away from the club with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

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Why Guardians star José Ramírez is poised for a career-best season in 2023 Mar 14, 2023; Goodyear, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) hits against the Los Angeles Angels in the third inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
By Zack Meisel
6h ago

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GOODYEAR, Ariz. — What if a guy with five top-six American League MVP finishes in the past six seasons has yet to author his signature season? What if a guy guaranteed to play for Cleveland for another six years still has his most prolific seasons ahead of him? What if a guy with a microscopic number of deficiencies in his game is positioned to piece everything together in 2023?

Is it possible that everything is aligned for the 2023 season to be José Ramírez’s best yet, for him to capture his first MVP honor after so many near misses? Shohei Ohtani and others might have something to say about award season, but Ramírez could be in store for a career year.

It starts with this: He isn’t spending his spring stressing about whether he’ll be a Guardian or a Padre or a Blue Jay. He has the security of a long-term extension, a deal that was in peril until the final minute of spring training last year, when he forced the issue and willed a seven-year pact into existence.

“It’s way different to just be able to focus and concentrate on the field,” Ramírez said, through team interpreter Agustin Rivero. “It’s completely different this year.”
Last season, José Ramírez led the league in doubles and had a career-high 126 RBIs. This year could be even better. (Ron Schwane / Associated Press)
Two functioning hands

Ramírez sat out two games in Los Angeles in mid-June as he and the club determined whether he’d undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right hand or if he could play through the pain. His preference was to stay in the lineup, rather than be sidelined for up to eight weeks.

Ramírez before those two days off: .305/.397/.642 slash line.

Ramírez after those two days off: .264/.329/.437 slash line.

He acknowledged “sometimes you want to do things and you’re not able to, so your game gets a little bit limited. It was very difficult.” He said it affected “every aspect” of his game, not just the noticeable way it sapped his power, and that it required extra treatment, care and time to manage the pain each day.

He’s healthy now, though, and he opted to sit out the World Baseball Classic just to give himself a customary runway to the start of the season now that he’s recovered.
Shift limitations

Ramírez’s preferences at the plate are no secret.

“I like to play to my strengths and pull the ball,” he said. “I know I’m a pull hitter.”

Opposing teams know it, too, which is why Ramírez faced a shift in 93.9 percent of his plate appearances as a left-handed hitter, the fifth-highest rate in the majors. Now, teams are required to place two infielders on each side of second base, with all four fielders’ cleats planted in the dirt.

“I hope and I think it’s going to benefit me, but we’ll have to see how that works out.”

Ah, but what if teams stick one of their outfielders into short-right field to discourage Ramírez from pulling the ball? Well, we’ve seen Ramírez face that sort of configuration for years — just, with three outfielders, not two. So, it wouldn’t change much, other than Ramírez capitalizing on the gap in the outfield when he deems it appropriate. Victor Rodriguez, Cleveland’s assistant hitting coach, figures if Ramírez encounters that kind of alignment, he’ll tend to stick to his strengths.

“José will not force it to hit a single to left field when he can get a pitch and drive it,” Rodriguez said. “He will not go for that unless it’s a situation in which he needs to get on base. He might go for it. But it’s forcing him to do something uncomfortable, for him to go the other way when he’s a pull hitter.

“If you change your swing, you’re not going to be in a good position to do anything. José is a pull hitter. When he hits the ball when the ball gets deep (on him), it goes (to the opposite field). But you don’t want José to be thinking (opposite field) and then he gets a pitch middle/middle-in and he’s not in a good position. So I always tell him: ‘Stay who you are. Don’t change because they’re playing over there.’”
Lineup protection

I asked manager Terry Francona if we make too much of lineup protection. How much of a difference does it really make if there’s a daunting slugger hitting behind you? He offered that the team desperately cycled through cleanup hitters last season, trying to find someone who could serve as a threat hitting behind Ramírez.

Starts in the No. 4 spot:

Josh Naylor: 72
Owen Miller: 34
Franmil Reyes: 29
Oscar Gonzalez: 24
Andrés Giménez: 2
Amed Rosario: 1

To recap the four most common No. 4 hitters:

• A guy who was ineffective against lefties (.512 OPS), the opposite of protection.

• A guy who was dumped over the winter for a player to be named, just to clear space on the 40-man roster.

• A guy who was designated for assignment midseason and had to settle for a minor-league deal this spring.

• A guy who wasn’t even on the 40-man roster when last season began.

Enter Josh Bell.

“I told Josh Bell,” Rodriguez said, “‘Just be yourself. Your presence here is going to help a lot, especially José Ramírez.’”

It helps that Bell is a switch-hitter, without a profound contrast in his splits. He figures to hit fourth against both lefties and righties. The Guardians love his command of the strike zone; for a guy with plenty of power, he doesn’t strike out an exorbitant amount, and he draws a ton of walks.
The other elements

It’s easy to marvel at Ramírez’s annual slash line or his home run and doubles totals, but his well-rounded skill set is what makes him so valuable. He consistently posts one of the league’s best strikeout rates, which is even more impressive given his power. He rarely swings-and-misses, even though pitchers know they shouldn’t offer him anything he can attack.

Ramírez’s annual whiff rate:

2015: 96th percentile
2016: 95th percentile
2017: 95th percentile
2018: 95th percentile
2019: 95th percentile
2020: 91st percentile
2021: 94th percentile
2022: 94th percentile

He essentially blends the plate discipline of Steven Kwan or Luis Arraez and the home run-hitting ability of Mookie Betts or Manny Machado. With his ability to resist pitches out of the zone, and with more opportunities to yank pitches through the hole on the right side, Ramírez could reach new heights at the plate.

He also, despite pedestrian speed, ranks near the top of FanGraphs’ base running metric on a yearly basis. He has ranked in the top 10 in the league in five of the past seven years, including a first-place finish in 2018, when the difference between him and second place equaled the difference between second and 12th. He’s a master at capitalizing on mistakes and seizing an extra base when the average hitter (or viewer) wouldn’t even consider it. And now the bases are larger, affording him more chances to lean on his intelligence and aggressiveness.

There’s also his glove: Ramírez has ranked in at least the 85th percentile in Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric in five of the past six seasons.

All of these elements help to explain how, since 2016, only Mike Trout and Betts have amassed a higher fWAR total than Ramírez. Those two have combined for four MVP awards (and six second-place finishes). So, is this the year Ramírez finally wins that elusive MVP? He took the modest route.

“I would love to, definitely,” he said, “but there are many good players out there. The good thing is, I get a chance to compete.”

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Cleveland Guardians News

Avert your eyes from Cal Quantrill's first WBC outing for Canada

By Steve DiMatteo

Mar 13, 2023

Canada won its first game of pool play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic with a thumping lineup. Starter Cal Quantrill, on the other hand, struggled, and Cleveland Guardians fans might want to just disregard his line on the day.

Quantrill couldn't make it out of the first inning against Great Britain, issuing four walks and giving up three runs on two hits. Canada's offense certainly bailed out him and the rest of the Canadian pitching staff, as it went on to essentially cruise to an 18-8 victory.

With the Guardians this spring, Quantrill has given up three runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings of work, but all of this is to say that nobody should be putting much, if any, stock in these stats.

Even with the heightened competition of the World Baseball Classic, guys are still working their way towards being ready for the regular season. Quantrill, like so many other pitchers, had yet to truly ramp up before being dropped right into the tournament.

Of course, would it have been nice to see Quantrill go out and shut down an upstart Great Britain lineup that will ultimately be relegated in the next WBC? Yes, but there's no reason to panic about Cleveland's third starter, who sported a 113 ERA+ last season.

Still, you may not want to watch the highlights from Sunday. That is, unless you want to see a Canadian lineup full of promising young hitters. And speaking of young Canadian hitters, Bo Naylor started at catcher against Great Britain, striking out twice but drawing three walks (Canada drew a whopping 16 total walks, and in only six innings at the plate before the game was called due to the WBC mercy rule). Naylor was recently optioned to Triple-A Columbus, but Guardians fans should see him in Cleveland sometime in 2023.

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Guardians

Will Edwin Diaz’s injury impact the way Guardians players celebrate wins in 2023? (Podcast)

By Joe Noga Paul Hoynes

Published: Mar. 16, 2023, 12:18 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio —

Puerto Rico’s celebration after beating the Dominican Republic to advance Wednesday in the World Baseball Classic was tempered by an injury to star closer Edwin Diaz, who hurt his right knee while bouncing up and down with teammates after the final out.

On Thursday’s podcast, Paul Hoynes and Joe Noga talk about the impact of Diaz’s injury on the WBC, and what it could mean for major league clubs allowing their players to participate in future tournaments. They also speculate on the chilling effect the injury could have for teams like the Guardians in celebrating walk-off wins during the regular season.

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Guardians

Guardians, Josh Naylor slam White Sox, 5-1; Triston McKenzie throws 4 good innings

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Mar. 16, 2023, 8:13 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Josh Naylor did what he usually does against the White Sox and Triston McKenzie had a nice bounce-back game on the mound Thursday at Goodyear Ballpark.

Naylor hit a grand slam in the first inning that cleared the right field wall and left the ballpark for a 4-1 lead. McKenzie, after allowing five runs in 2 1/3 innings in his last start against Milwaukee, allowed one run over four innings in a 5-1 victory over Chicago.

The Guardians are 6-11-1 this spring.

Naylor, who went 2 for 3, hit .364 (24 for 66) with four homers and 19 RBI against the White Sox last year. This time around, his batting helmet escaped unscathed.

“That was a really pretty swing today,” manager Terry Francona told reporters after the game. “When he doesn’t try to do that, that’s when he does it. When he keeps his sights set in the middle of the field, he becomes so dangerous.”

McKenzie, rained out of Wednesday night’s start against the Padres, allowed five hits and two walks. Chicago’s one run came in the first inning.

“He got to 65 pitches,” said Francona, regarding McKenzie. “He only gave up the one run, which was in the first. So, it was nice to see him pitch with some runners on base, but also pitch well.”

Myles Straw, trying to find his swing this spring, went 2 for 3 with a double and single. In his third at-bat, he was robbed of a hit on a diving catch by Chicago center fielder Oscar Colas.

Much better:

Rookie Hunter Gaddis made his second big league start on Sept. 15. In four innings, he allowed five homers against the White Sox.

He was much better Thursday, throwing scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh innings. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Gaddis retired six straight as he continued to put himself in position to win one of the two open spots in the bullpen.

That guy again:

Elvis Andrus, who has a long history of hitting Cleveland pitching, opened the game with a double and came around to score on a single by Andrew Benintendi. Andrus is a career .322 (118 for 356) hitter against Cleveland with 11 homers, 46 RBI and a .901 OPS.

Slam time:

Naylor’s first homer of the spring was a moment to remember. Not only was it a slam, but he hit it out of the ballpark in right field. Naylor is a decent counterweight to what Andrus has done to the Guardians.

He hasn’t been in the big leagues as long as Andrus, but he’s a .330 (37 for 112) hitter with four homers, 21 RBI and a .888 OPS in his career against the White Sox.

New rules in action:

Straw was balked to second base in the fourth inning when Chicago’s Jesse Scholtens made three pickoff attempts without retiring Straw. Under MLB’s new rules a pitcher is limited to two pickoff attempts per at-bat. If he tries a third and doesn’t retire the baserunner, the baserunner advances to the next base on a balk.

Welcome back:

Richie Palacios replaced Steven Kwan in the left field in the sixth inning. Palacios just returned from Taiwan where he played with Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.

Cal Quantrill and Bo Naylor also rejoined the Guardians after playing for Canada. Naylor was optioned to Class AAA during his stay with Team Canada.

Clocked by the clock:

Emmanuel Clase was hit with a ball-four clock violation in the fifth inning when Benintendi walked. Chicago starter Nick Avila walked Oscar Gonzalez on a pitch clock violation in the first inning. Another Chicago pitcher, Jimmy Lambert, was hit with a pitch clock violation in the sixth against Palacios.

Familiar faces:

Former Indians Bryan Shaw and Erik Gonzalez played against Cleveland on Thursday. Shaw pitched a scoreless inning and Gonzalez came off the bench to play shortstop.

Next:

RHP Aaron Civale (2-1, 4.50) will face the Reds and RHP Graham Ashcraft (1-1, 6.124) on Friday at 9:05 p.m. at Goodyear Ballpark. Xzavion Curry, Eli Morgan, Nick Sandlin and Michael Kelly are scheduled to follow Civale.

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9. Another player who seemed relaxed was Myles Straw. He doubled deep to right-center. He sizzled a single. His only out was a bullet line drive to center field. He is 5 of 15 this spring.

10. Straw is another player who needs peace of mind. The Guardians thought he was pressing a lot in 2022, when he batted .221 (.564 OPS) with zero homers and only 25 extra-base hits.

11. Terry Francona started to say Straw needed to stop being “passive” at the plate, then said that wasn’t quite the right word. The manager explained: “He should not be afraid to maybe swing at a ball out of the zone and let it go early in the count. If it is a ball, OK, just regroup. But it’s like he wants to get the perfect pitch and sometimes he almost looks a little passive.”

12 Straw has a leadoff batter’s mentality of wanting to draw walks and make the pitcher throw a lot of pitches. But that led to him to: a) being behind in the count; b) seem very weak trying to make contact; c) hit soft popups, fly balls and grounders.

Francona said the Guardians want Straw to “Put a little juice into the ball.” By that, Francona means for Straw not be he afraid to swing and miss at times.


13. In the field, Straw is one of the best defensive center fielders I’ve ever seen. He reminds me of Paul Blair and Rick Manning. Yes, I’m that old. He’s made three catches this week with his back to the plate in the swirling desert wind with bright sun in his eyes.

Terry Pluto

Guardians

A surprise in the bullpen? Oscar Gonzalez struggling – Terry Pluto’s Guardian Scribbles from Goodyear

By Terry Pluto.

Updated: Mar. 18, 2023, 1:07 p.m.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. –

Scribbles in my Guardians notebook:

1. I asked Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis to give me a surprise name among the young pitchers. “(Tim) Herrin,” he said. “We love his stuff. Pitched a half season in AAA. Like how the ball comes out of his hand. There’s a lot to like. He’s throwing 95-97 mph.”

2. My next stop checking on Herrin was Terry Francona. The manager said: “He’s an imposing kid physically. He reminds of a (Sam) Hentges of a few years ago. He’s growing into what we hope will be a really good MLB reliever.”

3. That led to Herrin. I claim I’m 5-foot-10, but that’s sports size. I’m 5-9 and I can look Steven Kwan in the eye. Standing next to Herrin, I realized his listed size for 6-5, 225 pounds is accurate. The man is HUGE!

4. Who is Herrin? He is a classic underdog, picked in the 29th round of the 2018 draft. More context? He was the 883rd player selected that year. Or as Herrin told me, “I was drafted so low, they don’t even have my round any more.” That’s true, the draft is now only 20 rounds.

5. The 26-year-old Herrin went to Indiana and lives in Terre Haute. Francona mentioned that, saying players from northern schools sometimes take longer to develop. The colder weather prevents them from playing baseball all year.

6. Herrin had a 1-4 record and a 4.02 ERA between Class AA and AAA in 2022. He struck out 101 in 69 innings, walking 23. He had a 2.01 ERA at Akron. He struggled when first moving up to Columbus, but had a 2.70 ERA in his last 12 outings. He recorded at least four outs in 26 of his 46 games, meaning he’s being trained to pitch more than one inning. He is equally effective vs. lefties (.241) and righties (.232).

7. Herrin said: “I didn’t think about where I was drafted. If you’re lower, you may have to prove yourself a little more. I grinded my way to get up here.”

8. Herrin’s spring ERA is 5.87 because he had a poor early outing. On Thursday, he threw a pair of scoreless innings vs. the White Sox, allowing three hits and zero walks. Hentges is coming back from a shoulder problem. I hear he’s not supposed to be out long. Either way, Herrin could be in the team’s plans right now, or very soon during the season.

9. I’m trying hard not to read much into this because it’s spring training, but Oscar Gonzalez went into Saturday batting .154 (4 of 26). His four hits are singles. He has struck out four times, walked twice. He just hasn’t hit the ball hard.

10. Last spring, Gonzalez batted .294 (7 of 24) with a homer and a pair of doubles. He opened the season in the minors, then hit his way to the majors – batting .296 (.789 OPS) with 11 HR, 27 doubles and 43 RBI in 91 games. No reason for alarm, but the second MLB season is always a challenge for young players.

[ Gonzalez's brief stint in winter ball didn't go so well either ]

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Mets closer Edwin Diaz is helped off the field on Wednesday after injuring his right knee celebrating Puerto Rico's victory over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic in Miami.AP



Guardians

World Baseball Classic is a great idea that doesn’t fit: The week in baseball

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Mar. 18, 2023, 11:24 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

As numerous Guardians packed their bags for the World Baseball Classic, manager Terry Francona made them promise “to come back just the way they left.”

Francona was kidding, making light of a delicate subject that all teams face when they send their players to the WBC in spring training. Fortunately for Cleveland, they all returned in good stead, except Andres Gimenez, who is still playing for the Venezuela.

Venezuela, undefeated in the tournament, plays Team USA on Saturday night in Miami. The winner will play Cuba in the semifinals Sunday night. Gimenez, by the way, is hitting .286 (4 for 14) and playing highlight-reel defense at shortstop.

Cal Quantrill, Bo Naylor, Ritchie Palacios, Meibrys Viloria, Dayan Frias, Josh Wolf and Cade Smith all followed Francona’s request and returned healthy. Palacios may still be jetlagged after making the 15-hour flight from Taiwan to Los Angeles. Even Victor Rodriguez, the Guardians assistant hitting coach, is returning to the desert after Puerto Rico was eliminated by Mexico on Friday night.

But what if one of those players hadn’t returned healthy? What if closer Emmanuel Clase had gone to the WBC with the Dominican Republic, as he could have, and suffered a season-ending knee injury just like Mets closer Edwin Diaz did for Puerto Rico?

Clase and Diaz are the best closers in baseball. It is a devastating injury for the Mets and it would have hurt even more for the Guardians.

The Mets have an owner in Steve Cohen who has a bottomless bank account. Their payroll for 2023 is $345 million and growing. He signed Diaz to a five-year $102 million deal after the 2022 season.

Money and players will be no object if the Mets have to go outside the organization to find Diaz’s replacement.

With the Guardians, money and players are always an object. They will open the 2023 season with a payroll pushing $91 million. It is one of the reasons there was a quiet celebration in the organization when Clase said he wasn’t going to pitch for the Dominican Republic.

Ditto for Jose Ramirez, who said no to the DR because he was coming off surgery on his right thumb.

Why Clase refused is unclear. He wasn’t injured, but last season he tied for the MLB lead in appearances with 77 and led with 67 games finished and 42 saves. He also signed a five-year $20 million extension at the start of the 2022 season.

The prevailing thought seems to be that the WBC, when it rolls around every three to four years, is too much fun to let one freak injury, no matter how serious, ruin it. And it was a freak injury.

Diaz had just struck out the side to save Puerto Rico’s 5-2 win over the Dominican to advance out of pool play on Wednesday. In the ensuing celebration, Diaz injured his right knee, falling to the ground in front of the mound after being engulfed by teammates. He underwent surgery the next day.

Could Diaz have suffered the same injury stumbling down the dugout steps during a Grapefruit League game at the Mets’ training site in Port St. Lucie, Florida? Sure, he could have.

The difference being that the Mets would have been in control of the situation with their manager, team doctors and trainers on hand. Diaz wouldn’t have been playing on an all-star team in Miami, while the rest of the organization was working its way through spring training.

Make no mistake, playing in the WBC has its perks. Just ask Mike Trout, a three-time AL MVP for the Angels, who is playing for Team USA.

“This is the funnest experience I’ve had on a baseball field,” Trout told the Athletic. “To represent your country, it’s been a blast. Obviously, there’s risk involved. (But) you’re still playing baseball in spring training. For me, being part of this atmosphere, it’s special. It means a lot to me. I knew going in it was going to be a fun time. I never knew it was going to be this fun.”

Mookie Betts, another member of Team USA, told the Los Angeles Times, “Those things (injuries), they can happen to anybody at any given time. And you can always try and place blame on the WBC, but that’s just a freak accident that could happen to anyone at any given time.

“This is so much fun. It’s so much fun. And this is way better than getting four at-bats in the back fields. I encourage those who are watching, come join, come play for Team USA, because this is a lot of fun.”

Why wouldn’t it be fun?

The players get a break from the boredom of spring training. Their manager and coaching staff aren’t around to tell them what to do. They get the opportunity to play and form friendships with the best players in their countries. And if they do get hurt, the majority of the contracts are guaranteed.

By all accounts the WBC has been a big success this spring. Records in attendance, merchandise sales and viewership have been set.

Still, one question has to be asked -- is two weeks in the middle of March really worth a team’s 162-game season? MLB is trying to spread the gospel of baseball to the four corners of the earth. They want more kids playing the game.

Those are all good things, but the truth is the WBC is a great idea that doesn’t fit in MLB’s timeline. No matter how the league tries to cram it into the schedule -- spring training, All-Star break, end of the season -- it puts the best players in the world and their teams at risk.

[ The WBC (at least this year) saw and will be seeing the best baseball players in the world competing at an A+ level. They are on top of their game even at this early stage of the baseball season. Spectacular plays in the field, outstanding pitching (To my count, at least 21 pitchers hit the 100+ mph mark - and I'm sure there are more that I did not see) not to mention the clutch performances from some pretty good offensive players.

The year's edition of the WBC was as its' name suggests - CLASSIC! Best baseball I've ever seen packed into two weeks compared to years of watching this game. That includes the World Series and All-Star games. This was truly some outstanding baseball and we still have three more days of competition left. ]

I AM ANXIOUSLY AWAITING FOR TEAM USA PLAYING JAPAN IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - HOPEFULLY ONE OR THE OTHER DOES NOT FALL VICTIM TO AN UPSET LIKE SO MANY OTHER TEAMS HAVE IN POOL PLAY AND THE QUARTER FINALS - THESE TWO TEAMS ARE "LOADED" WITH FIRE POWER IN ALL FACETS OF THE GAME.

A LOT OF BASEBALL LOVERS MAY NOT LIKE IT, BUT THEY ARE MISSING OUT ON SOME OF THE BEST BASEBALL THEY WILL EVER SEE - AT LEAST FOR THIS 2023 RENDITION OF THE CLASSIC ]


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Guardians

Guardians can still offer extensions despite Bally’s problems: Hey, Hoynsie

By Paul Hoynes

Updated: Mar. 18, 2023, 11:58 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Do you have a question that you’d like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here. You can also subscribe to Subtext here or text Hoynsie at 216-208-4346 for a two-week free trial.

Hey, Hoynsie: What impact do you think the bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group will have on the Guardians ability to extend contracts? -- Mike L., Middleburg Heights.

Hey, Mike: It does create uncertainty, which is not good for the organization. But I’ve heard that it won’t stop them from offering players contract extensions if that’s what they decide to do.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why are the Guardians thinking about keeping Cam Gallagher when Zack Collins and David Fry are having better at bats? I think Gallagher is overrated defensively just like Austin Hedges. -- Baseball Fan, Bronx, N.Y.

Hey, Base: Media speculation has named Gallagher as the backup, but no one on the Guardians has said that.

In listening to what Terry Francona has said about the catching competition, it’s clear he’s going to put an emphasis on defense, especially in the backup spot. In Mike Zunino, the starter, Francona has a good defender, but also someone who hit 33 home runs two years ago for the Rays.

There could also be a spot for Fry, who has had a strong camp and is able to play first and third as well as catch. It could give Francona a more versatile bench and potentially three catchers on the roster.

Hey, Hoynsie: I’m a Guardians fan living in New York. Does this mess with Bally Sports and the Diamond Sports Group affect me? I get my games on the MLB app. -- Pete, Long Island.

Hey, Pete: You’re in the clear. Somewhere down the road, it might even help you regarding blackout issues.

Hey, Hoynsie: Did you read “Our Team” by Luke Epplin about the 1948 season? If so, what did you think of it? If not, what is your favorite book on baseball? -- Dan Campanelli, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Hey, Dan: I have not read “Our Team.” “The Boys of Summer,” “The Pitch That Killed,” “Havana Heat,” “Lords of the Realm” and “The Babe: The Legend Comes to Life” are some of my favorite baseball books.

Hey, Hoynsie: In your opinion does it makes sense for MLB to play the postseason under different rules than the regular season? -- Mike L, Middleburg Heights.

Hey, Mike: MLB’s new rules for the regular season in 2023 will also be used in the postseason. The lone exception is that there will be no automatic runner at second base in postseason extra-inning games.

After MLB spent years where one league using the DH and the other league letting pitchers hit, I can live with that.

Hey Hoynsie: The injuries to Gavin Lux and Carlos Rodon got me thinking. Which team in the AL Central do you think can handle injuries the best considering current roster and prospect depth? -- Jim B., Independence.

Hey, Jim: It sounds like you’re talking about the Guardians. They have infielders hanging from the ceiling and depth in starting pitching.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is Gabriel Arias’ defense good enough to be an everyday infielder? -- John Kyle, Westfield Center.

Hey, John: Arias has hit well this spring and has been up and down defensively. Could he be a starting infielder? Sure he could. But the chances of him doing that in Cleveland, at least for the upcoming season, aren’t great. With Andres Gimenez at second, Amed Rosario at shortstop and Jose Ramirez at third, you’re talking about three players who could play between 140 and 150 games a year.

It seems like Arias’ best spot is shortstop, and he might have to wait to get a chance there. Yes, Rosario is a free agent at the end of the year, but Gimenez seems to be in the on-deck circle for that job.

Hey Hoynsie: What G’s pitchers are in World Baseball Classic? Do you think it will affect them and do you think the pitch clock will be more of a factor when they get back? -- Tom, Apple Valley, California.

Hey, Tom: Cal Quantrill (Canada), Cade Smith (Canada) and Josh Wolf (Israel) were the only Cleveland pitchers to participate in the WBC. Quantrill made one start, while Smith and Wolf each made two relief appearances.

Their teams were eliminated in pool play and they are back in Goodyear. Quantrill and Smith were able to stay on a regular schedule because Canada trained in Arizona and played its games in Phoenix. Wolf, a minor leaguer, played for Israel in Miami.

I don’t think they’ll have any problem with the pitch clock.

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Guardians

Guardians overmatched by Reds, 7-1; Aaron Civale takes liner off the foot

By Paul Hoynes,

Updated: Mar. 18, 2023, 12:31 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --

Aaron Civale’s one goal this spring was to get through camp healthy after having his last two seasons interrupted by injuries.

Civale made it through the first inning Friday night in Cleveland’s 7-1 loss to the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark with no problem. In the second inning, however, he took a liner off the right ankle from Tyler Stephenson.

A trainer checked Civale, but he stayed in the game and finished the inning. He came out for the third, however, and got knocked around as the Reds opened the inning with four straight hits on the way to taking a 3-0 lead.

Curt Casali and Jose Barrero hit consecutive doubles to start the inning and give the Reds a 1-0 lead. Jonathan India singled home Barrero and came around to score on a single by Joey Votto and a fielder’s choice by Stephenson.

Civale, making his fourth spring start, retired the first two Reds in the fourth before being relieved. He allowed three runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.

A Guardians spokesman said Civale checked out fine after the game.

The Guardians are 6-12-1 this spring.

One and done:

Josh Naylor accounted for the Guardians only run with an RB I single in the seventh.

Wall ball:

Rookie Will Brennan assisted Civale by banging into the wall in right field to rob Jake Fraley of extra bases for the second out of the second. Josh Bell walked and was replaced by Sterling Romero. He stole second and scored on Naylor’s hit.

Force be with you

Gabriel Arias, playing second base, made a nice sliding stop in the hole against Fraley in the fifth inning. Then, from a seated position, made a strong throw to Amed Rosario at shortstop to force Stephenson.

Double trouble:

The Guardians didn’t do much offensively on Friday night. One of the reasons is they hit into three double plays. Rosario was doubled up in the first and Arias hit into consecutive double plays in the fifth and seventh innings.

X-man:

If Xzavion Curry is in the running for one of the two open bullpen spots, allowing a two-run homer to Fraley in the seventh inning isn’t going to help. Curry, however, did pitch a scoreless sixth inning.

Michael Kelly, another bullpen candidate, worked a scoreless eighth. Kelly has allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings this spring.

Finally:

The Guardians will play split-squad games on Saturday. RHP Zach Plesac (0-1, 9.45) will face Arizona and RHP Zac Gallen (1-1, 9.00) at 4:10 p.m. at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona.

RHP Cal Quantrill (0-0, 8.10) will face Seattle and RHP Luis Castillo (0-1, 6.87) at 9:05 p.m. at Goodyear Ballpark.

Emmanuel Clase, James Karinchak, Touki Toussaint and Phil Diehl will follow Plesac. Nick Mikolajchak, Luis Oviedo, Dusten Knight and Calab Barager will follow Quantrill.

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Guardians

Cal Quantrill bitten by longball in Guardians’ 6-4 spring training loss to Diamondbacks

By Joe Noga

Updated: Mar. 18, 2023, 7:17 p.m.|

CLEVELAND, Ohio —

Cal Quantrill served up his first two home runs of spring training, and Guardians reliever Nick Mikolajchak left the game with an undisclosed injury Saturday as Cleveland lost a 6-4 spring training game to the Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields.

The Guardians fell to 6-13-1 in Cactus League action, while Arizona is 10-11-1. The two teams will play a pair of exhibition games to wrap up the preseason March 27-28 in Phoenix at Chase Field.

Quantrill, in his first start since returning from pitching with Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic, allowed four runs on four hits including a solo home run to Christian Walker in the second and a two-run blast to Evan Longoria in the third. He threw 55 pitches, walking one and striking out one

Mikolajchak, who is competing for a spot in Cleveland’s bullpen on opening day, replaced Quantrill in the fourth but exited the game with one out in the inning. The right-hander, an 11th round draft pick in 2019, walked off the mound in pain after throwing a warmup pitch between batters. Right-hander Brett Daniels took over for Mikolajchak and completed the frame.

Arizona starter Zac Gallen stymied Cleveland hitters through two innings, but allowed a run on an RBI single by Tyler Freeman in the third.

Cleveland used its speed and base running savvy to even the score in the fifth. Brayan Rocchio singled, moved to second on a balk and scored on Roman Quinn’s bunt base hit when Gallen’s throw got away from Walker at first.

Quinn later scored on a double steal, swiping home as Freeman took second. Micah Pries then delivered an RBI single off Diamond backs reliever Kevin Ginkel to score Freeman and tie things at 4-4. Quinn, Freeman and Rocchio each finished with a pair of hits as the Guardians out-hit Arizona, 8-7.

Diamondbacks infielder Ryan Bliss gave Arizona the lead late with a two-run double after Cleveland’s Caleb Baragar walked a pair of batters with one out.

Luis Oviedo worked a pair of scoreless innings out of the bullpen and Dusten Knight added a scoreless frame for Cleveland.

Next: Cleveland hosts Seattle in a split squad game at Goodyear Ballpark at 9:05 p.m. ET on Saturday. Zach Plesac (0-1, 9.45 ERA) will start for the Guardians while the Mariners send Luis Castillo (0-1, 5.87) to the mound.

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Gabriel Arias Continues To Impress For The Guardians In Spring Training

Gabriel Arias has a Spring Training batting average of .324 for the Cleveland Guardians.

TOMMY WILD

March 18, 2023 1 HOUR AGO

Entering Spring Training, the question on everyone's mind was, "Will Gabriel Arias do enough to make the Big League roster?" But now as we're past the halfway mark and Opening Day is in less than two weeks the question has shifted to, "How much playing time will Arias get for the Cleveland Guardians?"

The infielder has received some of the most playing time of any Guardian in Spring Training. He's had 34 plate appearances over a 13-game stretch and slashing .324/.378/.412 over that period. Arias has also come around to score nine runs.

The one problem someone could find in Arias's game is that he only has one RBI and that came on a home run. However, that can also be the unlucky fortune of not batting with runners in scoring position.

Arias has definitely proven he deserves to start the season on the Big League roster. But the roadblocks keeping him from playing time are still present and aren't going anywhere and are still present.

One of the reasons that Arias is getting so much playing time is because Andres Gimenez is playing in WBC. That obviously won't be the case once the regular season starts.

The most likely scenario is that Arias is on the roster as a super-utility type player for the Guardians. He can play any spot in the infield as is working on becoming more confident in the outfield.

Arias has demonstrated one of the most important factors for a prospect looking to make an impact in the Majors, that's consistency.

When Terry Francona wants to or needs to play Gabriel Arias every day or through a long stretch due to injury he knows that he can count on the infielder.

The lack of consistency was what hindered Arias in the regular season last season in his limited number of plate appearances. However, he was returning positive results when playing consecutive games in the playoffs.

The time will eventually come when Arias gets a larger role for the Guardians, and he'll be ready when that happens.

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Guardians

Zach Plesac sharp in Guardians’ 5-4 spring win against Mariners

By Joe Noga

Updated: Mar. 18, 2023, 11:57 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio —

Zach Plesac turned in his best outing of spring training late Saturday as the Guardians held on for a 5-4 win against the Mariners in split-squad action at Goodyear Ballpark.

Seattle scored three times in the ninth inning against All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase aided by some suspect defense from Cleveland’s minor league players who had substituted into the game late. But Clase whiffed Mariner’s farmhand Miguel Perez with the tying run on second base to end the game.

Cleveland improved its Cactus League record to 7-13-1 while Seattle dropped to 10-8-2. The two clubs will meet in a four-game series to open the regular season at T-Mobile Park beginning March.

Plesac was ultra-efficient in his fifth spring start, needing just 72 pitches to get through 6 1/3 scoreless innings before he was relieved by Phillip Diehl. He allowed a run on three hits and a walk, striking out four Mariners batters. Plesac retired the first six hitters he faced and seven of the last eight batters he faced before exiting in the seventh with a five-run lead.

Plesac (1-1, 5.54) helped his own cause in the third inning when he started an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded on a ground ball from Tommy LaStella.

Steven Kwan’s two-run single in the third put Cleveland on the scoreboard after back-to-back hits by Gabriel Arias and Myles Straw. Kwan reached base twice and upped his Cactus League average to .355. José Ramírez added a run on an RBI single off Mariners starter Luis Castillo (0-2, 5.25).

Josh Bell clobbered his second spring home run in the sixth, a solo blast off Seattle righty Penn Murfee. Cleveland added another run on a two-out RBI single by Arias that scored Will Brennan.

James Karinchak struck out a pair of Seattle batters in a scoreless eighth, and Clase allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits in the ninth. Seattle made things interesting when rookies Randy Bednar and Leonardo Rivas singled to load the bases with two out and Jake Scheiner sent a fly ball to Marlin Made in right field. Made dropped the ball, allowing two runs to score before Clase struck out Perez to end the game.

Next:

The Rockies visit Goodyear Ballpark for a 4:05 p.m. ET first pitch against the Guardians. Cleveland will send right-hander Shane Bieber (0-0, 1.86) to the mound, while Colorado counters with Karl Kauffmann (0-2, 5.19). The game will air locally on WTAM 1100 AM and the Guardians Radio Network.

Guardians

As the 2023 season looms, Terry Francona gave his team a warning – Terry’s Talkin’ Guardians

By Terry Pluto

Updated: Mar. 19, 2023, 5:31 a.m.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. –

In 2022, the Guardians stunned most experts by winning 92 games and capturing the Central Division title. They did it with MLB’s youngest team and the 25th-ranked payroll out of 30 teams.

“I don’t want that to be a fluke, a feel-good story,” said Francona.

It’s a message he delivered to the team immediately after the Guardians were eliminated from the second round of the playoffs by the Yankees.

“Tito set the tone for this season right then,” said Guardians president Chris Antonetti. “He congratulated them on an incredible season with some wonderful memories, but this has to be the beginning. We have to take what we’ve learned in 2022 and build on that in 2023.”

Jose Ramirez slides with helmet flying, dirt swirling. It's how the Guardians play.



40 MORE INFIELD HITS THAN ANYONE ELSE

In 2022, the Guardians had the fewest strikeouts in the majors and the most infield hits. They had a 92-70 record hitting the second fewest homers in the majors.

“We can’t just throw the bats and balls out there and beat teams,” said Francona. “This is not up for debate. If you are going to play here, you better play the game the way we play the game.”

The Guardians also went from first to third on singles 115 times, most in the majors. Their 40 infield hits were 40 more than anyone else in the majors.

“There is not much room for gray,” said Francona. “If you run hard on nine balls out of 10 – and you don’t run that 10th ball out – it will bite you in the rear end.”

The manager means that 10th time when a player jogs to first base is when an infielder will bobble the ball. If he had run hard, he’d have been safe.

“This is not up for debate,” said Francona. “This is the way we play.”

Right away in training camp, Josh Bell noticed there was something different in how the Guardians play.



THE NEW GUY NOTICED

I was talking to Josh Bell about what is different in Cleveland compared to other places he’s played.

“I’ve been able to learn and understand the level of baseball Francona wants from his squad,” said the Guardians’ new cleanup hitter.

Meaning what?

“Play the game the right way,” said Bell. “Running balls out. Constantly thinking about going first to third base. Constantly thinking about dirt-ball reads. Constantly thinking about putting pressure on the defense to force them to make mistakes.”

The 30-year-old Bell previous played for Pittsburgh, Washington and San Diego.

Let’s break down what he said:

1. First to third means running from first to third base on a single.

2. Dirt-ball reads meaning being on base, seeing a pitch in the dirt. Can you use that as an opportunity to advance on the base paths? Don’t be content to stand and stare at the ball, think about your next move.

3. Constantly putting pressure on the defense means running hard on every routine ground ball – forcing the defense to know if they bobble it, you’re going to be safe at first.

4. It could mean what Francona once said about Amed Rosario, “When some guys hit the ball, they think double when running out of the batter’s box. Amed thinks triple.”

“He demands that from day one of spring training,” said Bell. “I haven’t heard an emphasis like this since the lower levels of the minor leagues.”

Guardians manager Terry Francona said Amed Rosario bolts out of the batter's box thinking about hitting a triple.



THE GUARDIAN WAY

“You need everyone to buy in,” said Francona. “It starts with Josey (Ramirez) and Amed (Rosario). They bring a fearlessness to us when it comes to baserunning.”

Ramirez is the team’s superstar. Rosario is a respected veteran who led the American League in triples and infield hits. Ramirez endears himself to every baseball purist with his helmet-flying, dust-eating head-first slide into second base on doubles.

Rosario is his close friend. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound shortstop with the long legs seems to glide around the bases. Call it effortless energy.

Both players hate to miss games. Ramirez played the second half of the season with a significant thumb injury. He refused surgery and finished batting .280 (.869 OPS) with 29 HR and 126 RBI.

“Tito is an on old school manager, trying to beat teams by playing the game the right way,” said Bell. “Not doing it by having more talent, but playing with more grit.”

Steven Kwan is the motor at the top of the Guardians lineup.



REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM

Rookie Steven Kwan was second to Rosario on infield hits ... and triples ... in the American League.

“I have to keep a chip on my shoulder,” said Kwan. “I have to keep the same intensity as last year. I’ve never been a high draft pick. I’ve never been a hot prospect.”

A lot of the Guardians fall into that baseball working class. Ramirez had to beg for a chance to sign a pro contract in the Dominican Republic. His bonus was $50,000, which is extremely low for that baseball-rich market.

“We have to do the little things right to compete with other teams who have the big free agents,” said Kwan.

Kwan was a fifth-round pick in 2019. He won a Gold Glove in left field in 2022. He batted .298, the highest of any Cleveland rookie since Larry Doby in 1948. He is the motor at the top of the batting order for this Cleveland offense that is baseball’s version of the Little Engine That Could.

“Tito not a rah-rah guy,” said Kwan. “He said we couldn’t get comfortable. We have to stay hungry and stay on the hunt.”

Francona managed power-hitting, budget-busting teams in Boston from 2004-11. He’s talked about how those teams could out-hit their mistakes in the field and the basepaths.

Not these Guardians. Not in Cleveland.

“Our way is a hard way to play,” said Francona. “But the best way to play good baseball is to play good baseball. Thankfully, our guys buy into it.”

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Notes: Bullpen battle narrows after most recent cuts; Plesac takes big leap

Mandy Bell

March 18th, 2023

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --

Slowly but surely, the Guardians are narrowing down their bullpen options.

The team needed all hands on deck to get through Saturday’s day/night split-squad day that began with a 6-4 loss to the D-backs at Salt River Fields in the afternoon and ended with a 5-4 win over the Mariners at Goodyear Ballpark. So, the team didn’t make any cuts prior to this doubleheader, but it did make progress in trimming its roster on Friday.

Left-handed pitcher Konnor Pilkington was optioned to Triple-A Columbus and righty Cade Smith was reassigned to Minor League camp on Friday afternoon.

Smith was unlikely to make the Opening Day roster, especially since he missed some time with the team to join Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. But the 23-year-old has yet to play above Double-A Akron, making it far-fetched for him to break camp with the Guardians, regardless of his participation in the Classic.

Pilkington, on the other hand, was in the group of starters, including No. 23 prospect Xzavion Curry and Hunter Gaddis (No. 28), who could’ve been carried as a long reliever. But Pilkington was not sharp this spring. Although his defense didn’t give him much support last time out, he still struggled with his command in Cactus League play, permitting five walks in 7 1/3 innings and giving up nine runs (six earned) in those four appearances. Having another lefty option out of the ’pen certainly wouldn’t hurt, especially since Sam Hentges is still recovering from shoulder inflammation, but Pilkington won’t be the one filling that need.

Both Curry and Gaddis are still in the mix, and with the way Gaddis has pitched thus far, he’s made a compelling case to take one of the two openings, assuming Hentges isn’t ready by Opening Day.

Of the remaining arms still in big league camp, Nick Mikolajchak was intriguing. He’s been a prospect on Cleveland’s radar and has had a decent spring, but a wrench was thrown in any possible plan in the day game of Saturday’s doubleheader when he was removed with a right arm injury. The Guardians are expecting to know more about his condition on Sunday morning.

That leaves Michael Kelly, Touki Toussaint, Gaddis, Curry, Phillip Diehl, Luis Oviedo, Dusten Knight and Caleb Baragar fighting for a roster spot.

A spring standing ovation

Rarely does a starting pitcher make the jump from four innings to seven innings in the process of getting stretched out for the regular season, but when a hurler is as efficient as Zach Plesac was on Saturday night against the Mariners, it was the only option.

Two starts ago, Plesac gave up one hit in four scoreless frames in an exhibition game against Team Mexico. Last time out, he was knocked out of the game after 2 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits (he was removed in the first inning and re-entered for the second). But if there was anyone who needed an establishing outing to show they could be on the right track heading into the ’23 season, it was Plesac. In the win against the Mariners, he was charged with one run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings, throwing 74 pitches.

The righty has talked this spring about his desire to be mentally stronger than he was last season. He’s ready to see the results he knows he can get without the inconsistencies he’s battled through the last few years. And with a handful of exciting starting prospects getting closer to being Major League ready, Plesac knows he needs to earn his spot. If he pitches like he did Saturday, he’ll certainly do just that.

“That was so nice to see,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “You could tell he was excited. Good for him, which is good for us. But that was really nice to see. That was well worth the wait.”

Arias stays hot

No. 9 prospect Gabriel Arias has all but solidified that he’ll be on the Guardians’ Opening Day roster with the way he’s swung the bat this spring. He added two more hits to bring his average to .351 (13-for-37) in 14 Cactus League games, and he’s also played solid defense, no matter which position he’s been asked to play.

“He’s doing a good job because he’s hitting the ball the other way,” Francona said. “But defensively, he looks like he’s maturing too. Making some plays that we’ve kind of seen [Andrés Giménez] make.”

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