CLEVELAND GUARDIANS NOTES:
GUARDS CLAIM SERIES OPENER VS. NATS
After relinquishing a 3-0 lead in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to New York-AL, the Guardians flipped the script and erased a 3-0 deficit of their own in a 4-3, come-from-behind victory over the Nationals on Friday night to open a 3-game weekend series in Washington D.C….current road trip will wrap with 3 games in Detroit…Cleveland opened the year with a 5-2 road trip before going 2-4 on first homestand of 2023…Guardians (8-6) have won 8 of last 13 and hold sole possession of 2nd place in the AL Central standings, 2.0 games behind Minnesota (10-4).
Though he did not factor into the decision, CAL QUANTRILL turned in a 6.0-inning quality start (6.0IP, 6H, 3R-ER, 2BB, 3SO, 1HR, 104 pitches), surrendering all 3 of his runs on 4 hits in the 4th inning, including a solo HR by Luis Garcia and a 2-run single from former Guardians prospect Alex Call…TREVOR STEPHAN, JAMES KARINCHAK & EMMANUEL CLASE (4th save) followed in succession with 1.0 scoreless frame each.
Held scoreless thru 5.0 by Trevor Williams (5.0IP, 4H, 1R-ER, 2BB, 2SO, 1HB, 95 pitches), Cleveland finally capitalized after AMED ROSARIO doubled to lead off the 6th and later scored on a double play…JOSH BELL led off the 7th with his first HR in a Guardians uniform off Hunter Harvey, while JOSÉ RAMÍREZ knotted the contest at 3-3 with a bases-loaded walk later in the frame…Bell also helped set-up the club’s go-ahead run with a double that moved ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ (reached on E1) to 3rd; Giménez would then score the winning tally on WILL BRENNAN’s RBI-groundout.
JOSÉ BEING JOSÉ
JOSÉ RAMÍREZ saw his 15-game hit streak dating back to last season snap on Monday against the Yankees…he and HOU’s José Abreu were the only two MLB hitters to open the 2023 season by hitting safely in each of their first 10 games…Ramírez, leads MLB this season with 4 intentional walks after tallying the most in baseball last year with 20…his 4 go-ahead RBI rank T2nd in MLB this season and his 6 doubles rank T6th in the league…Ramírez also leads MLB in extra-base hits and is tied for the lead in doubles since 2017.
EXTRA-BASE HIT LEADERS IN MLB, 2017-23
PLAYER XBH
JOSÉ RAMÍREZ 423
Nolan Arenado 404
Mookie Betts 396
J.D. Martinez 393
Ramírez (295) remains just one double away from tying Charlie Jamieson (296) for the 7th-most doubles in franchise history…his 192 career home runs rank T10th in club history with Al Rosen, needing one more to sit alone in 10th…Ramírez has failed to record a home run through his first 14 games of the season for just the second time in his career (2019, no HR until 16th game).
WINNING OUR WAY
Through their first 14 games of the 2023 season, Cleveland’s 4 extra-inning victories lead MLB…the Guards are one of five teams in the MLB modern era (since 1901) to be undefeated through at least 4 extra-inning contest through the first 14 games of a season… Cleveland tallied a 5-0 record in extra-innings in their first 14 games of the 1910 season, remaining as the only club in the modern era with 5-or-more-wins and an unbeaten record…the Guardians are also tied with Minnesota for the best road record in MLB this season at 6-2.
Cleveland leads MLB with 4 wins in their last at-bat and 8 one-run games, going 5-3 in those contests…the 5 one-run victories are also the most in MLB this season…the Guards were 28-17 in one-run games in 2022, earning the 4th-best win percentage (.622) and T5th-most wins in MLB in that scenario…11 of 14 Guardians contests this season have been decided by two-runs-or-less…since Terry Francona became manager in 2013, Cleveland holds MLB’s
4th-best win percentage (best in AL) in one-run games and MLB’s
4th-best win percentage (2nd-best in AL) in total games.
MLB WIN PCT. IN ONE-RUN GAMES SINCE 2013
TEAM RECORD WIN %
Atlanta 238-196 .548
Milwaukee 227-190 .544
St. Louis 238-201 .542
Cleveland 213-180 .542
New York-AL 230-195 .541
MLB WIN PERCENTAGE SINCE 2013
TEAM RECORD WIN %
Los Angeles-NL 938-595 .612
New York-AL 866-666 .565
St. Louis 854-676 .558
Cleveland 853-677 .558
Houston 838-694 .547
GUARDIANS OF THE BASEPATHS
With two steals last night, the Guardians remain T1st in MLB with 21 steals, staying deadlocked with Baltimore, and have only been caught twice in 21 attempts…marks the 10th time in club history and the first time since tallying 24 steals in 1994 that Cleveland has 21+ steals in the first 14 games of the season…the last team before the Orioles and Guardians this season with 21+ steals through the team’s first 14 games was when the 1999 Dodgers stole 23 bases.
MYLES STRAW ranks T4th in MLB with 6 stolen bases with Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. and Arizona’s Corbin Carroll, behind Chicago-NL’s Nico Hoerner & Baltimore’s Jorge Mateo and Cedric Mullins (7)…the Guardians feature five players in the top 30 in MLB in stolen bases (also Ramírez, Giménez, Kwan and Rosario) the most of any MLB team.
ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ continues to lead MLB in runs scored this season, coming around to score 15 times through 14 games…the last MLB player to tally 15+ runs in 14-or-fewer games was Ronald Acuna Jr., who crossed home plate 18 times in 14 games in 2021… Grady Sizemore (2007, 17 runs) and Travis Hafner (2006, 22 runs) were the last two Cleveland hitters to accomplish the feat.
PATIENCE AT THE PLATE
STEVEN KWAN leads MLB with 293 pitches seen, with Atlanta’s Matt Olson trailing just behind him at 288…AMED ROSARIO also ranks T18th (256)…as a team, the Guardians lead the AL and rank 2nd in MLB behind San Diego (2,275) in pitches seen (2,242)… Cleveland’s 23.0% swing-and-miss-percentage is the 3rd-best in MLB and best in the AL, led by Kwan (11.6%, 5th in MLB) and JOSÉ RAMÍREZ (12.1%, 6th in MLB).
TODAY’S STARTER – ZACH PLESAC RHP
TODAY’S START
The 27-year-old right-hander is set to make his third start of the season and his second start on the road Saturday afternoon, in the second of a 3-game set at Washington…will be starting on an extended 5 days rest; is 10-10 with a 3.70 ERA (72ER/175.0IP) in 5 days rest…has made 2 starts this season, owning a 9.00 ERA (8ER/8.0IP)…Plesac’s most recent start on the road came on April 3 at Oakland, lasting 1.0 inning and giving up 6 R/ER on 7 hits… it was his shortest start since throwing 0.2IP on April 14, 2021, at Chicago-AL.
LAST TIME OUT
He last toed the slab on Sunday against Seattle in a 7-6 extra-inning victory in his 2023 Progressive Field debut…did not factor into the decision despite allowing 2R/ER over 7.0 innings with 6 strikeouts and one walk…after giving up a 2-run home run to Cal Raleigh in the 1st frame, the righty threw 6.0 scoreless innings before being pulled…he had not allowed 2-or-fewer earned runs since July 4 of last season in a start at Detroit.
KNOWING THE NATS
This will be his second career start against the Nationals with the other appearance coming in an 8-2 loss on Sept. 19, 2019 in Plesac’s rookie year…he took a no-decision, allowing 2R/ER on 6 hits while fanning 6 batters and walking one…in two starts against the NL East, he owns a 5.79 ERA (6ER/9.1IP) with 9 strikeouts and 3 walks.
Today marks his 12th interleague start, going 1-5 with a 3.71 ERA (26ER/63.0IP) in those outings…he made 4 interleague starts in 2022 with his last start coming on June 17 at Los Angeles-NL… Plesac did not factor into the decision after holding the Dodgers to one earned run across 6.0 innings with one strikeout and 2 walks in a 2-1 victory…he became the first Guardians pitcher to allow one-or-fewer earned runs with one-or-fewer strikeouts across 6.0-or-more innings since Josh Tomlin on September 25, 2016 vs. Chicago-AL and the first Guardians pitcher to accomplish the feat in an interleague start since Aaron Laffey on June 24, 2008 vs. San Francisco.
JUST WARMING UP
Over his career, Plesac’s highest ERA by month has come in April, posting a 5.92 mark (32ER/48.2IP) across 10 starts in the season’s opening month…he improved on those numbers in 2022, going 1-2 with a 3.80 ERA in 4 April starts.
PLESAC BY MONTH, CAREER (since 2019)
Month Record GS ERA IP ER
April 2-5 11 5.50 55.2 34
May 3-2 11 3.97 65.2 29
June 4-4 11 3.09 67.0 23
July 5-4 15 4.04 78.0 35
August 6-6 17 4.30 96.1 46
September 5-4 14 4.19 86.0 40
DAY ‘N NITE
Enjoyed more success pitching under the sun, as opposed to under the lights in 2022…in 11 daytime starts, he went 2-5 with a 3.25 ERA (23ER/63.2IP) as opposed to a 1-7 mark with a 5.29 ERA (40ER/68.0IP) in 14G/13GS at night; he bucked the trend of his career, as he has traditionally fared better under the lights than in 2022…is 16-15 with a 4.20 ERA (135ER/289.1IP) in 51G/50GS at night compared to 9-11 with a 4.01 ERA (73ER/164.0IP) in 30 starts during the day…his 7.0 inning, 2 earned run start on Sunday was under the sun.
QUANTITY OF QUALITY
Plesac got his first quality start of 2023 on Sunday…despite setting a career-high in losses in 2022, Zach made a career-high 11 quality starts in 2022 and rattled off 7 consecutive quality starts from May 30-July 4, going 1-2 with a 2.14 ERA (10ER/36.0IP) in that span; marks the 6th-lowest qualified ERA among A.L. hurlers over that stretch…signifies the longest such streak by a Cleveland starter since TRISTON McKENZIE pieced together another 7-start run from Aug. 5-Sept. 14, 2021..no Clevelander has turned the trick in 8 consecutive starts since SHANE BIEBER’s 10-start streak from July 24-Sept. 9, 2019.
Cleveland’s starting staff has 7 quality starts in 2023, ranking T2nd in MLB and T1st in the AL with Tampa Bay and trailing Los Angeles-NL who leads MLB with 9.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
MOVING ON
The Washington Nationals fell to the Cleveland Guardians, 4-3, in the first game of this three-game series on Friday night…Trevor Williams turned in another strong start, allowing one earned run on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work…Luis García reached base safely four times, including his first home run of the season as well as two walks, to lead the offense.
• Friday night’s loss was just the second for Washington while leading after the sixth inning.
• The Nationals will enjoy another off day on Monday before welcoming the Baltimore Orioles to D.C. for a two-game series starting on Tuesday.
5.0 ALIVE
Jim Hickey’s starters lead the National League in starts of at least 5.0 innings this season with 12…The rotation ranks second in Major league Baseball behind the Minnesota Twins (14) and Kansas City Royals (13)…In 2022, the Nationals ranked 28th in Major League Baseball with 94 starts of at least 5.0 innings.
• The rotation also ranks in the National League in innings pitched (T7th, 71.0), walks per 9.0 innings (7th, 3.68) and fewest walks (T7th, 29).
• Over the last three games, Nationals starters have combined to pitch to a 3.14 ERA (5 ER/14.1 IP) and a .240 opponents’ batting average with just two doubles and one home run allowed.
DEFENSE NOT RESTING
Thanks to strong infield defense so far this season, Nationals opponents have a .222 batting average on ground balls, sixth-best in the National League (MLB avg: .245)…In 2022, the Nationals had the third-highest opponents’ batting average on ground balls in Major League Baseball (.260).
• Washington has turned 15 double plays this season, tied for second-most in Major League Baseball.
SPEAKING OF DEFENSE
Slick-fielding first baseman Dominic Smith is off to a strong start on defense…He is one of three National League first baseman to accumulate at least one defensive run saved, per FanGraphs.com…According to Baseball Savant, Smith (1 OAA) is one of eight National League first baseman with at least one out above average.
PLAYIN’ THE HITS
Washington’s ranks eighth in the National League in hits (117) and 10th with a .248 batting average…Despite being one-hit for the sixth time in team history (2005-pres.) on Tuesday night, the Nationals have recorded double-digit hits in three of their last seven games.
• Nationals hitters have struck out just 94 times, the fewest in Major League Baseball.
NOTHING BUT A NUMBER
The Nationals were one of six teams that had least three players in the top 50 youngest players in Major League Baseball to start the season…The Arizona Diamondbacks (5), St. Louis Cardinals (5), Detroit Tigers (3), Pittsburgh Pirates (3) and Seattle Mariners (3) also had three players in the top 50.
• CJ Abrams (22) is the third-youngest player in Major League Baseball, while Luis Garcia (23) is 15th and Keibert Ruiz (24) is 50th.
BULLPENNING
Ricky Bones’ bullpen has inherited 15 runners over the last four games and only two of them have come around to score…During this four-game stretch, Nationals relievers have pitched to a 1.84 ERA (3 ER/14.2 IP) with 16 strikeouts and seven hits allowed (.143 opp. AVG).
• On the season, the bullpen ranks in the National League in opponents’ batting average (4th, .229) and opponents’ on-base percentage (6th, .310).
OPPONENT
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
The Nationals and Guardians will face off three times in 2023, all in D.C…Nationals outfielder Alex Call made his Major League debut for the Guardians in 2022 after spending four seasons (2019-22) in their system…Former National Josh Bell returns to Nationals Park for the second time since being traded to San Diego at the 2022 Trade Deadline.
TODAY’S STARTER – #42 CHAD KUHL
Veteran right-hander signed a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training and went on to make the club…Enters 2023 at 31-31 with a 4.74 ERA in 127 games (111 starts) in six Major League seasons…Began his professional career with Pittsburgh before spending the 2022 season with the Colorado Rockies.
LAST START
In his return to Colorado on April 9, held the Rockies to three earned runs in 5.0 innings before heading back out for the sixth…Allowed a walk and a double to lead off the inning before being lifted for a reliever…Both runs came around to score…Issued four walks, his most in a game since July 29, 2022 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (4).
vs. CLEVELAND
Is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in two career starts against the Guardians…Has 11 strikeouts, issued three walks and has not allowed a home run to them…Was saddled with the loss on June 16, 2022 in Colorado despite allowing just two earned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work in the 4-2 defeat.
2023 SPRING TRAINING
Capped Spring Training with a 2.61 ERA (3 ER/10.1 IP) and 11 strikeouts against just three walks across his last two Grapefruit League outings.
2022
Began the season 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA (6 ER/29.2 IP) through his first five starts…His 1.82 ERA was the lowest by a Rockies starter to begin a season (through five starts) since Ubaldo Jiménez (0.79 ERA in 2010)….Tossed a shutout (3 H, 5 SO, zero BB) on June 27 vs. Los Angeles (NL)…Became the 26th pitcher to toss a shutout at Coors Field and the 17th Rockies pitcher to throw a shutout in Denver, and the 16th at Coors Field.
2021
Made his first career Opening Day start at Chicago (NL)…Made a career-high 14 relief appearances…Went 4-2 with a 2.41 ERA (14 G/6 GS) at PNC Park, and 1-5 with a 7.32 ERA (14 G/8 GS) on the road.
2020
Made the Opening Day roster after missing 2019 due to Tommy John surgery…Made his season debut on July 27 vs. Milwaukee in relief (3.2 scoreless IP).. Was his first professional relief appearance and his first MLB game since July 26, 2018…Took a no-hitter into the sixth inning on Sept. 24 vs. Chicago (NL) en route to a 7-0 victory (7.0 IP, 2 H).
2019
Missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
2018
Began the season in Pittsburgh’s starting rotation before being placed on the Injured List on June 27 (right forearm strain).
2017
Struck out a career-high 142 batters in a career-high 157.1 innings and a career-high 31 starts in his first full Major League season…Tied for ninth in the NL with 0.97 home runs allowed per 9.0 innings (min. 150 IP).
2016
Earned his first MLB win (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO) in his MLB debut on June 26 vs. Los Angeles (NL)…Faced Clayton Kershaw…Made four starts before getting optioned on July 19…Was recalled Aug. 9 and remained on the Pirates active roster through the end of the season.
2013-15
Advanced through Pittsburgh’s Minor League system…Led the Pirates’ system and the Florida State League in wins (13) in 2014…Ranked third in the Eastern League in ERA (2.48) in 2015.
