One down.

Young Guardians Starter Impresses In Spring Debut

February 26, 2025

By Andres Chavez

A big percentage of the Cleveland Guardians’ fanbase asked for more starting pitching help after it was revealed that Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd would continue their careers elsewhere.

This was still the case even after the team added Shane Bieber, Luis L. Ortiz, Slade Cecconi, Vince Velazquez, Kolby Allard, and Jakob Junis.

Yes, most of those names are more depth options than mound stars, but let’s not forget about the Guardians’ player development staff as well as their trainers.

Getting the best versions of their own pitchers was also a priority, one in which these professionals worked quietly, but tirelessly.

You can see the results of that hard work by taking a glimpse at Gavin Williams’ spring debut on Wednesday.

The guy was flat-out dominant for two innings, striking out three batters and not allowing any hits or walks.

The fastball was lively, sitting in the 97 mph range and touching 98.2 mph.

Researcher Thomas Nestico added some exciting information about how Williams’ repertoire looked.

“It looks like Williams has changed up his slider yet again, and this time it might be even better! The offering is a few ticks slower but its getting significantly more sweep and drop than last season. Oh, and his fastball is still great,” he posted on X, with a graph of the outing, velocity, pitch shape, movement, and location information.

Williams’ slider was already good, but it could be elite now.

Pair that with his high-90s heat and the Guardians could have a sneaky top-of-the-rotation arm in 2025.

Williams, who delivered a 3.29 ERA as a rookie in 2023, slipped to a 4.86 mark last year amid elbow issues.

Now that he’s fully healthy, Cleveland will unleash him to the rest of the league.

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Williams was just what we hoped for today. [for fun look at Terry Pluto's column on cleveland.com: he references me of all people although he doesnt' quote what good comments I made!]
Dion was just as impressive
Leftwich roughly matched Oritz for worst spring outing.
Rocchio and Manzardo both doubled to continue good hitting.
Of prospects, Ingle and Kayfus both singled; a pair of really good bat to ball guys; Ingle walks plenty too; Kayfus has shown good power. They will be fun to keep track of on their way to Cleveland.

If a minor leaguer is on the injured list (surgery on arm) does the clock stop accumulating years for purposes of either make the 26 or placed on waivers?

That's a question for the answer man. How about it Civ?

We may never win again.

Brito 0-7 for the spring.

No one's impressing for the battle of 2nd base so far.

I guess we're just playing rope-a-dope. Hiding in the weeds.

We're at least giving some hope to the White Sox. Both tied for last place with 1-5 records.

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Triston McKenzie Struggles Badly In Second Outing Of The Spring

February 27, 2025

By Andres Chavez

Triston McKenzie is probably the pitcher that Cleveland Guardians fans are following the most these days.

They know he finished 2024 with a 5.11 ERA in 75.2 MLB innings and was demoted to Triple-A because he couldn’t throw strikes.

However, they also know that he is capable of big things.

In 2022, for example, he posted a 2.96 ERA in 191.1 innings in a breakout season.

Triston McKenzie Struggles Badly In Second Outing Of The Spring

Triston McKenzie is probably the pitcher that Cleveland Guardians fans are following the most these days.

They know he finished 2024 with a 5.11 ERA in 75.2 MLB innings and was demoted to Triple-A because he couldn’t throw strikes.

However, they also know that he is capable of big things.

In 2022, for example, he posted a 2.96 ERA in 191.1 innings in a breakout season.

A UCL tear discovered in 2023 has slowed him down and reduced him to an average pitcher.

He trained hard in the offseason to regain his stuff, confidence and command.

A few days ago, McKenzie tossed two solid innings with just a hit and a run allowed, striking out one with no walks.

In his next outing, he was all over the place.

“McKenzie’s final line today: 0.2(IP) 1H 2R 2ER 5BB 0SO (39 Pitches 17 Strikes),” Guardians Prospective posted on X.

After averaging 91.1 mph with his four-seamer last year, the righty was in the 94-96 mph range, so it wasn’t all negative.

It’s clear that the work he put in during the offseason has resulted in more velocity, and that gives him more upside.

He won’t go anywhere if he can’t throw strikes, though.

Watching him hand out five walks in less than an inning is definitely a step back in his process of returning to relevancy.

The Guardians hope this is just a blip, but it does put more pressure on his shoulders for the next start.

Cleveland has plenty of talented pitchers ready to take the ball every five days and perform as members of the MLB rotation if McKenzie isn’t up for it.

The spot might be McKenzie’s to lose, but he just might if he can’t right the ship.

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Good day for Logan Allen, bad day for Triston McKenzie in Guardians' 4-2 loss to White Sox

Published: Feb. 27, 2025, 6:49 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Logan Allen pitched well, but Triston McKenzie didn’t on Thursday afternoon as the Guardians lost to the White Sox, 4-2, at Camelback Ranch in Cactus League play.

Allen turned in the longest start of a Cleveland pitcher this spring when he went 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He struck out four and allowed one hit and one walk.

In the first inning, he hit outfielder Andrew Benintendi with a pitch. Benintendi left the game and tests revealed that he suffered a non-displace fractice of the right hand and will miss four to six weeks.

Allen, trying to regain his spot in the starting rotation, threw 26 strikes in 46 pitches (57%).

McKenzie, trying to regain his spot in the rotation as well, walked five and allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning. McKenzie looked good Saturday when he opened the Cactus League season against Cincinnati. He couldn’t find the strike zone Thursday.

In 39 pitches, McKenzie threw 17 strikes (44%).

The win was the first by the White Sox this spring. They have the same record as the Guardians at 1-5.

The White Sox took a 2-0 lead off McKenzie in the fourth on a bases-loaded double by Lenyn Sosa. McKenzie created the jam by walking the bases loaded with one out.

Zach Jacobs relieved McKenzie to record the third out in the fourth. McKenzie, using MLB’s spring-training re-entry rule, started the fifth, but things did not improve. He walked the first two batters he faced and was replaced by Jacobs for the second time in as many innings.

Jacobs allowed a sacrifice fly to Austin Slater for a 3-1 Chicago lead.

Dom Nunez and Will Wilson suppled the Guardians first run in the fifth. Nunez hit a leadoff double and scored on Wilson’s single to left. On Monday, Nunez was hit in the head by a 96 mph fastball in a game against Arizona. He was forced to leave the game, but returned Thursday.

Chicago made it 4-1 in the sixth againt right-hander Paul Sewald, who was making his first appearance of the spring. Brandon Drury doubled to start the inning, took third on a single by Sosa and scored on Tristan Gray’s sacrifice fly.

The Guardians made it 4-2 in the seventh on doubles by Jacob Cozert and Micah Pries against former Guardian James Karinchak. Karinchak is in camp with the White Sox as a non-roster player.

Good relay work by left fielder Steven Kwan and Tyler Freeman saved a run for McKenzie in the fourth. Catcher Omar Narvaez, trying to score from third on Sosa’s double, was thrown out at the plate.

The Guardians had seven hits, including five doubles. Cleveland pitchers walked nine and struck out seven.

Next: The Rockies visit Goodyear Ballpark on Friday with RHP Ben Lively (1-0, 4.50) facing LHP Kyle Freeland (1-0, 0.00). GAme time is 3:05 p.m. WTAM/1100 will carry the game.

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Guardians Prospective
@CleGuardPro
Update from source:

Slight possibility DeLauter makes his debut this weekend but definitely should be on the field next week. Organization is just being extremely cautious with him, but he is not injured. He has certain benchmarks he needs to meet by the medical staff in his training before seeing the field.

Ben Lively grinds through a scoreless outing in Guardians' 3-1 spring training win against Colorado

Updated: Feb. 28, 2025, 5:37 p.m.|Published: Feb. 28, 2025, 5:27 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians' version of Mister Consistency was at his grind-it-out best Friday as Ben Lively worked three scoreless innings in a 3-1 spring training exhibition win against the Rockies at Goodyear Ballpark.

Lively allowed just one a hit and a walk, striking out three in his second spring appearance. He threw 47 pitches.

Last season, Lively was Cleveland’s most consistent starter, leading the club with 13 wins and ranking second with 151 1/3 innings pitched. He logged nine quality starts and won five consecutive outings from May 14 to June 8.

Colorado made Lively work in the opening frame, but the Florida native, who turns 33 next week, settled in and retired six of the final seven batters he faced.

Pitching behind in the count for most of the afternoon, Lively allowed a leadoff single to Nick Martini, who stole second and went to third on a fielding error by Angel Martinez at second base. But Lively got Hunter Goodman on a pop to center before Sam Hilliard drove a ball to right that got caught in the wind and settled in Jhonkensy Noel’s glove at the wall.

Lively has allowed a team-high six hits through five Cactus League innings, but his ability to navigate out of trouble has been as evident as it was throughout last season.

Steven Kwan delivered Cleveland’s first run in the third inning with a sacrifice fly to left field. Kwan, who picked up his fifth spring hit with a leadoff single in the first, battled back after falling behind 0-2 in the count to Rockies starter Kyle Freeland.

Johnathan Rodriguez tagged and scored after opening the inning with a double to right and advancing to third on a throwing error by Jordan Beck.

Kolby Allard, signed to a minor league contract with a spring training invite at the start of February, imitated Lively’s effort by bobbing and weaving through trouble for three strong innings of his own. Allard allowed four hits, including a solo home run by Sean Buchard that tied the score in the sixth.

Left-handed prospect Doug Nikhazy made his second spring appearance, tossing two scoreless innings and picking up the win while striking out two with a walk. Mason Hickman earned the save with a scoreless ninth, including a pair of strikeouts.

Colorado erased a Cleveland scoring chance in the seventh when ex-Guardians infielder Owen Miller threw out Milan Tolentino at the plate on a ground ball to first. Tolentino opened the seventh with a base hit off Diego Castillo and moved to third on a double by Justin Boyd. Tolentino was then thrown out trying to steal second, and Castillo escaped without a run scoring when Kahlil Watson flew out to center field.

Cleveland’s offense, however, broke things open in the bottom of the eighth after loading the bases against Colorado’s Justin Lawrence. Tolentino drove in a pair of runs with a two-out single to center that broke a 1-1 tie. It was Tolentino’s third hit in five Cactus League at-bats.

The Guardians moved to 2-5 in exhibition play and the Rockies fell to 6-1-1.

Next: Left-hander Joey Cantillo (0-0, 0.00) makes his second start when the Guardians face the Cubs on Saturday at 3:05 p.m. at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz. Righty Colin Rea (0-0, 5.40) will start for Chicago.

Other Cleveland pitchers scheduled to appear include Cade Smith, Tim Herrin and Hunter Gaddis, making their spring debuts.

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Cleveland Guardians Bullpen Candidate Out of Spring Training After Surgical Procedure

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI

By Jami Leabow | Last updated Feb 28, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The spring training experience of Cleveland Guardians pitching prospect Franco Aleman is over.

The club announced he underwent a left hip inguinal hernia repair on Tuesday, which has a recovery time of four to six weeks.

The Guardians selected the Cuba native in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida. Now 24, he’s appeared in 87 games (eight starts) in the Cleveland farm system and has an 8-16 record with a 4.25 ERA and 12 saves.

The numbers for Aleman, a right-hander, have improved with increased experience.

In his first season of pro ball at Single-A Lynchburg in 2022, he posted a 3-10 record with a 6.31 ERA in 24 games (eight starts). The following season, the organization turned him exclusively into a reliever.

Fast forward to 2024. Pitching for Triple A-Columbus, he had a 1-2 record, 1.99 ERA and two saves in 24 games. He has 193 strikeouts in 133.1 career innings.

The Guardians added Aleman to the 40-man roster last November to shield him from being lost in the Rule 5 draft. That moved him into prime position for a 2025 call-up, once he recovers and completes his abbreviated training camp.

The Cleveland bullpen was the best in the game in 2024. Relievers were 42-12 with a 2.57 ERA, surrendering more than half a run less on average than the Milwaukee Brewers (3.11). Led by closer Emmanuel Clase, the Guardians staff had 53 saves – 47 of them belonging to Clase.

Opponents hit just .203 off Cleveland relievers, who struck out 650 batters in 623 innings.

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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Cleveland Guardians Announce Injury Update On Relief Pitcher

One of the Cleveland Guardians' top pitching prospects underwent successful surgery earlier this week.

Tommy Wild | 22 Hours Ago

The Cleveland Guardians arguably had the best bullpen across baseball during the 2024 season.

One reason for this dominance was the sheer number of reliable arms Stephen Vogt had throughout the season.

However, that bullpen depth took a hit on Thursday as the team announced that pitching prospect Franco Aleman underwent surgery earlier this week to heal a hernia injury.

The press release read, "Franco Aleman submitted to a left hip inguinal hernia repair yesterday by Dr. Conrad Ballecer at St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, AZ. The expected recovery is 4-to-6 weeks."

Guardians skipper Stephen Vogt mentioned that Aleman's injury "just popped up over the last week to ten days. We sent him to the specialist the other day, and he recommended the surgery, and he had a successful procedure [Wednesday]."

Aleman, a 10th-round pick in the 2021 MLB draft, was added to the 40-man roster earlier this offseason.

The right-hander has yet to make his major league debut, but with relievers such as Eli Morgan, Nick Sandlin, and Pedro Avila exiting the team over the winter, there was certainly a path for him to make the Opening Day roster.

Aleman made 24 appearances (22.2 innings pitched) during the 2024 season and recorded a 1.99 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.

There's always room for production in a big-league bullpen, but Cleveland will have to wait a little longer for him to pitch and make an impact at the major-league level.

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Relaxed in Year 2, Vogt takes it all in this spring

4:14 PM CST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- In Stephen Vogt’s first season as a Major League manager, he led the Guardians to 92 wins and the American League Central crown while earning the AL Manager of the Year Award. With that under his belt, Vogt looks to build off last season’s success and apply some early lessons he has learned on the job.

“I think the main thing is just how long it is,” Vogt said. “It’s a long season. So being able to know now what it feels like to go [from] start to finish, it’s helping me adjust kind of where I put my time, how I do some things maybe a little differently. But at the same time, it’s ‘continue to just get through each day and learn as much as you can.’”

Now that he knows what to expect, Vogt has been able to settle in and is feeling a bit more relaxed than he did a year ago. However, his approach hasn’t changed.

“No, it’s been very much the same,” Vogt said. “I think, if anything, I have a lot more time on my hands because I’m trying to learn as much as I can about everything and now I know our coaches have everything under control, our players have expectations down. They know.

“So, for me, it’s just, go sit back and watch them play and be there to encourage, be there to have conversations, be there to keep us going in the direction we want to go. But our coaching staff is unbelievable, and I have full trust in all of them to do what they do.”

Selected in the 12th round of the 2007 MLB Draft by Tampa Bay, Vogt saw his professional career get off to a slow start. He spent his first four professional seasons toiling away in the lower levels of the Minor Leagues. By the time he hit age 24, still in High-A, he began having thoughts of transitioning from playing to coaching.

“I think it started back in 2009, when I was 24 in High-A,” Vogt said. “And I was like, ‘Man, I want to coach. I want to stay in the game.’ Then I didn’t really think about managing [when I was] in the big leagues until probably like 2016, something like that. But, yeah, I always wanted to do this.”

Vogt says that his desire to manage influenced him as a player.

“It made me a better player,” Vogt said. “I didn’t have the talent that a lot of other people had, so I had to win things on the margins. I had to be more cerebral. I had to think ahead. I had to understand why we were doing things, and that helped me be a better player.”

It wasn’t until 2014 that Vogt stuck on a big league roster. He batted .279 with nine home runs in 84 games that year and proved to be a key reinforcement for the playoff-bound Athletics. He was named an All-Star in each of his next two seasons and established a reputation as one of Major League Baseball’s best clubhouse guys.

Over the course of his 10-season Major League career, Vogt played for some of baseball’s brightest minds, including Bruce Bochy, Craig Counsell, Bob Melvin, Brian Snitker and Torey Lovullo. Vogt still talks to each manager and enjoys picking their brains.

While he was taught valuable lessons from each skipper, he knows the most important thing he learned:

“Be yourself,” Vogt said. “You can’t try and do it the way somebody else has done it. You have to be yourself, because if you’re not genuine, the players are going to smell that out right away. So I just try to be me every day. I admit when I mess up. I admit when I don’t know, and if I don’t have the answer, I say, ‘I’ll get back to ya.’ And I have a lot of good support around me.”

Vogt’s authenticity and his sincerity when dealing with players is his greatest asset, according to Guardians pitcher Ben Lively.

“Everyone truly cares here,” Lively said, “and I feel like that’s what really pushed us toward the end of the postseason last year. That was insane. It’s really hard to explain, actually. You feel like you’re literally wanted at the field, and everyone feels like that and everyone just wants to go have fun and play.

“It makes a lot of big games a lot easier for us. ... There’s nothing better than that guy. He’s so cool.”

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Let’s take an early spring training trip around the Guardians’ diamond: The week in baseball

Updated: Mar. 01, 2025, 10:12 a.m.|Published: Mar. 01, 2025, 5:15 a.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — February is over. The Cactus League season is rolling into March and the season opener in Kansas City is less than a month away.

It’s time for a trip around the diamond to get an early look at how things are going for the Guardians.

First base

Carlos Santana is excited to be back in Cleveland. He’ll play this season at 39, but he looks great. He has his own chef and he’s eating right.

Santana didn’t have a hit through the first six Cactus League games, but he’s played well defensively . Kyle Manzardo has seen time at first and DH and is swinging the bat well. He has a chance for some serious playing time as Cleveland looks for offense to replace departed Josh Naylor.

Second base

The search for Andres Gimenez’s replacement continues. Through the first six spring games, the Guards have started four different second basemen. Gabriel Arias and Juan Brito have each started twice. Angel Martinez and Tyler Freeman have started the other two games.

Freeman and Arias have swung the bat well. Arias is out of options. Brito, coming off a great season at Triple-A Columbus, hasn’t made much contact .

Arias has made only eight starts in the big leagues and 21 in the minors at second base. Brito, who has yet to play in the big leagues, has made 275 starts at second in the minors. Martinez has made one start at second in the big leagues and 185 in the minors. Freeman has made 20 starts at second base in the big leagues and 92 in the minors.

Daniel Schneemann, who did not start at second through the first six Cactus League games, has made three starts at second in the big leagues and 83 in the minors.

The next three weeks will reveal if there’s an everyday second baseman in that group.

Third base

All-Star Jose Ramirez looks like he’s dropped a few pounds. Just like he did last year when he had one of his best seasons.

Ramirez resides in the far corner of the spring training locker room next to Santana, Gavin Williams, Triston McKenzie and Shane Bieber. It seems like there’s always a party going on there.

When Ramirez needs a break at the hot corner, Schneemann or Arias usually spelled him last year.

Shortstop

Last year Brayan Rocchio hit .333 (11 for 33) in the postseason against the Tigers and Yankees after hitting .206 in the regular season. This spring the switch-hitter has been hitting like the postseason never ended. On defense, he’s played well despite losing his double-play partner Gimenez.

Arias, Schneemann and Freeman filled in for Rocchio at short last year.

Catcher

Bo Naylor spent the winter at the team’s training facility in Goodyear trying to find his swing. He hit just .201 (71 for 354) with 13 homers and 39 RBI last season. The results have been mixed this spring .

Austin Hedges is behind Naylor. He hit just .152 (20 for 132) last year. David Fry won’t be around to provide some offense at the position because he’s opening the year on the injured list.

The one thing spring training has revealed is that the Guardians may have a catcher who can actually hit in prospect Cooper Ingle. He went 3 for 4 in his first three Cactus League games.

Ingle is in camp as a spring training invitee.

Designated hitter

Twelve players made starts at DH last year. Not sure if it will be that crowded this year with Manzardo and Santana. Still, manager Stephen Vogt likes to use the DH spot to give players a break during the season. Ramirez made 32 starts at DH last year, while Fry made 40.

Left field

In his first two Cactus League at-bats this spring, Steven Kwan dumped a single into left field and homered over the wall in center field at Goodyear Ballpark. Is anyone surprised with that?

Kwan had a season of extremes last year. He went into the All-Star break hitting an MLB-leading .352 (99 for 281). After the break, he hit .206 (41 for 199) . He bounced back in the postseason, hitting .381 (16 for 42).

If Kwan can find a happy medium, and stay off the injured list, look out.

Center field

The prospect of a full season from a healthy Lane Thomas is looking better and better. The Guardians acquired Thomas from Washington at the trade deadline last year. He almost immediately went into a prolonged slump before hitting seven homers and driving in 20 runs in September. In the postseason, he hit .316 (6 for 19) with two homers and nine RBI against the Tigers in the ALDS.

Thomas homered in his first Cactus League at-bat.

Right field

The platoon of Will Brennan and Jhonkensy Noel is still in place. Brennan came to camp stronger after a winter in the weight room. Noel spent a lot of time in Goodyear this winter, trying to refine his swing. Prospect Chase DeLauter did not play in the first six Cactus League games. The Guardians are slow playing him to take every precaution that he can get through a season healthy.

Starting rotation

There’s been some good starts and some bad ones through the first six games. Gavin Williams and Joey Cantillo have looked sharp. Newcomer Luis Ortiz and Triston McKenzie struggled. No. 1 starter Tanner Bibee has yet to pitch in a Cactus League game. Vogt and his coaching staff are going to need all of spring training to sort through this.

[ Guardians Star Pitcher Unveils Shocking Injury Revelation
This Cleveland Guardians pitcher has dropped some very surprising injury news.
Matthew Schmidt | Feb 28, 2025

......But want to hear something wild? Bibee was apparently pitching through an injury the entire time, as Eric Samulski of NBC Sports has revealed that the right-hander was dealing with a shoulder issue.......

......"Tanner Bibee told me that his shoulder was 'a little banged up most of last year,'" Samulski posted on X. "Has worked on mechanical tweaks to get his arm through cleaner without pain. Wouldn’t have known he was battling that from his results in 2024."...... ]

Bullpen

We haven’t seen the Guardians' pride and joy in its full glory yet. Emmanuel Clase, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin and Cade Smith, who all made more than 80 appearances last year, have been eased into the Cactus League schedule. A lot of relief innings have gone to depth camp pitchers and those competing for a rotation spot. Two of them, Kolby Allard and Doug Nikhazy, have looked sharp.

Veteran right-hander Paul Sewald, signed to give the core of the bullpen a break, made his first appearance on Thursday. He allowed a run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning against the White Sox.

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Cade Smith, Tim Herrin and Hunter Gaddis make spring debuts as Guardians fall to Cubs, 7-4

Updated: Mar. 01, 2025, 6:09 p.m.|Published: Mar. 01, 2025, 5:41 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Key pieces of Cleveland’s bullpen bunch made their highly anticipated spring debuts Saturday, looking a lot like the dominant relievers that carried the Guardians to a division title and playoff run in 2024.

Cleveland was already trailing the Cubs by four runs at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, when Cade Smith, Tim Herrin and Hunter Gaddis took the mound. But the trio combined to allow just one run on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts as the Guardians suffered a 7-4 exhibition loss to Chicago.

Left-hander Joey Cantillo, who made his second spring start, struggled with his command, walking four and allowing four runs with a pair of strikeouts.

Juan Brito, competing for the starting second base job, blasted a solo home in the ninth off ex-Royals righty Brad Keller. It was Brito’s first hit in nine spring at-bats. He had struck out in four of his previous eight plate appearances.

Smith, Herrin and Gaddis were among four Guardians relievers (along with Emmanuel Clase) who each made at least 74 appearances and posted an ERA under 2.00. The Guardians made it clear early in camp that all four would roll out slowly after pitching deep into the playoffs last year.

Smith allowed a pair of soft singles but struck out the side in the third inning.

Herrin followed with two strikeouts of his own in a 1-2-3 fourth.

Gaddis walked the first batter he faced in the fifth, Dansby Swanson, and allowed a fly ball to Carson Kelly that center fielder Angel Martinez misplayed into a double. Vidal Brujan plated Swanson with an RBI sacrifice fly, but Gaddis retired the final two batters he faced after issuing a walk to Jon Berti.

Chicago hitters ran up Cantillo’s pitch count in the first inning after the Hawaii native allowed a leadoff double to Ian Happ and a one-out RBI single to Seiya Suzuki that put the Cubs in front. Carson Kelly added an RBI base hit before Cantillo was lifted for depth camp pitcher Zane Morehouse.

Morehouse Came on to get a ground ball double play off the bat of Vidal Brujan to end the first inning, and got the final out the second after Cantillo re-entered to start the inning and gave up a two-run single to Suzuki.

Guardians starters managed just one hit against Cubs starter Collin Rea, a one-out double by Tyler Freeman in the first. Rea finished with a pair of strikeouts and two walks in three innings.

Cleveland did not record another hit until the seventh, when Cooper Ingle dumped a base hit into center field against ex-Royals righty Brad Keller.

Former Cleveland prospect Julian Merryweather retired the side in order for the Cubs in the fourth, striking out a pair. Merryweather was a fifth round pick of Cleveland in 2014 and was part of a 2018 trade that sent him to Toronto in exchange for Josh Donaldson.

Guardians prospects Dyan Frias drove in a run in the eighth with a ground out after Kahlil Watson opened the inning with a triple. Yordys Valdes followed with a solo home run against Keller. It was the first hit and second RBI for Valdes in five spring at-bats.

Carlos Perez launched his first Cactus League home run in the bottom of the eighth off Guardians righty Jack Leftwich. It was the fourth earned run Leftwich allowed in two outings this spring.

Jorge Burgos followed Brito’s home run in the ninth with a triple to left field and scored on a ground out by Ingle.

The Guardians spring record dropped to 2-6, while Chicago improved to 7-0-3.

In good hands: Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz managed the club in Mesa on Saturday and will do the same when the Brewers come to Goodyear Ballpark on Sunday. Manager Stephen Vogt is attending his daughter’s softball tournament in the Phoenix area.

Next: Right-hander Slade Cecconi (0-0, 4.50) will make his second spring appearance (first start) on Sunday in Goodyear against Milwaukee righty Grant Anderson (0-0, 22.50). First pitch is set for 3:05 p.m.

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