CLEVELAND GUARDIANS NOTES:
GUARDS DROP MIDDLE CONTEST AGAINST THE YANKS
After Cleveland’s come-from-behind victory in Monday’s series opener, the Yankees turned the tables with a quartet of unanswered runs on Tuesday night in the Bronx to beat the Guardians by a 4-2 final…Cleveland has dropped 2 of 3 in four consecutive series, as club enters tonight’s finale seeking first series victory overall since April 14-16 at Washington.
Cleveland’s offense got to Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (6.0IP, 5H, 2R-ER, 3BB, 8SO, 108 pitches) for a pair of early runs in the 3rd, as JOSH NAYLOR followed a pair of one-out singles with an RBI double and ANDRÉS GIMÉNEZ pushed one more across with an RBI-groundout…rookie TANNER BIBEE made his second MLB start (5.1IP, 4H, 2R-ER, 0BB, 5SO, HR, 92 pitches) and began his night by retiring 15 of the first 17 batters he faced across 5.0 scoreless frames…the Guardians 2-0 advantage would last until the bottom of the 6th when Anthony Volpe tagged Bibee for a one-out solo shot (3); Gleyber Torres then doubled to end the right-hander’s night and Anthony Rizzo greeted JAMES KARINCHAK with a game-tying RBI-single…Willie Calhoun delivered the go-ahead run with a solo homer off Karinchak (0-2 pitch) in the 7th, Calhoun’s first of the year, while DJ LeMahieu tacked on an insurance run with one of three Yankees singles in the 8th.
The Clevelanders are 2-3 entering the finale of the current 6-game road trip thru Boston (1-2) & New York-AL (1-1)…Guardians are 10-8 on the road, but have still dropped 10 of last 15 overall following a 9-6 start to the season…Guardians (14-16) hold sole possession of 2nd place in AL Central standings, 3.0 games behind Minnesota (17-13)…last season, club went 9-12 in April and 12-12 in May.
BATTLE IN THE BRONX
The Guardians are looking to win their first series against New York-AL since taking 2 of 3 from September 17-19, 2021 at Yankee Stadium…with a win today, Cleveland will split the season series with the Yankees 3-3…the club’s last season series win against New York-AL came in 2019 when they went 4-3…the Clevelanders are 6-3 in series finales in 2023, with a 1-2 record in rubber matches.
If the Guards lose today, they will have dropped five straight series and seven of their ten series this season…Cleveland has never lost five straight series under TERRY FRANCONA with the last instance coming September 7-23, 2012 (at MIN 1-3, at TEX 1-2, vs. DET 1-2, vs. MIN 1-2, at KC 1-2).
YOUTH MOVEMENT
TANNER BIBEE followed up his one run (earned), 8 strikeout Major League debut by striking out 5 batters and allowing 2R/ ER over 5.1 innings last night, joining LOGAN ALLEN, AARON CIVALE, and Luis Tiant as the only pitchers in Cleveland history to allow 2-or-fewer earned runs with 5-or-more strikeouts in each of their first two career starts…Bibee is now 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA (3ER/11.0IP), 13 strikeouts and 0 walks…Bibee is the only pitcher in Cleveland history, and the 9th in MLB history, to work 5.0-or-more innings with 0 walks in each of his first two career starts…Andrew Moore was the last pitcher to accomplish the feat with Seattle in 2017, working 8.0 innings and 7.0 innings with 0 walks in his first two career starts…Gerrit Cole achieved it with Pittsburgh in 2013 (5.2IP and 6.1IP).
Through their first 4 career starts, Bibee and fellow rookie LOGAN ALLEN have combined to have a 2.45 ERA (5ER/22.0IP) with 29 strikeouts and 3 walks…Allen is the second player in Cleveland history to strikeout 8-or-more batters in each of his first 2 career starts and the first since Herb Score struck out 9 batters in each of his first 2 career starts in 1955…only 15 other players have ever accomplished the feat with TB’s Taj Bradley also achieving it this season (8SO on 4/12 and 9SO on 4/18)…Allen is the only Cleveland pitcher with multiple games of 8-or-more strikeouts this season.
TOUGH AS NAYLS
Through April 19, JOSH NAYLOR was hitting .153 (9-for-59) with 2 home runs (his 2 extra-base hits in that span), and 9 RBI in 17 games…despite his slump, he had a .260 xBA with a 39% hard hit rate, both around his career averages of .256 and 40.7%…in his 10 games since he is hitting .324 (11-for-34) with 1 home run, 3 doubles and 9 RBI, including 2 game-winning RBI…he sports a .319 xBA and a 56 hard hit percentage during that stretch.
Naylor’s success over the past 10 games has come against the fastball…in his first 17 games, he was hitting .185 (5-for-27) with an average exit velocity of 88.3 mph against the fastball, however he had a .308 xBA and a 50% hard hit rate against the pitch…over his past 10 games, he is hitting .450 (9-for-20) with an average exit velocity of 97.0 mph in at-bats ending with the fastball…during that span, he has raised his xBA to .395 and his hard hit percentage to 68%…Naylor is seeing 3.89 pitches per plate appearance since April 19 compared to a 3.53 mark prior.
PATIENCE AT THE PLATE
The Guardians are currently 1st in the AL and 2nd in MLB with a 22.7 swing and miss percentage, trailing only the Washington Nationals (20.9%)…Cleveland is the only team in MLB with 3 players ranking in the top-15 for lowest swing and miss percentage with STEVEN KWAN (3rd, 11.0%), MYLES STRAW (7th, 12.4%) and JOSÉ RAMÍREZ (13th, 15.1%).
DOWN ON THE FARM
Low-A Lynchburg leads all of Minor League baseball with 67 steals in just 22 games played…they boast a 12 stolen base game and a 9 stolen base game on the season…GUY LIPSCOMB JR. leads the squad with 16 steals in 18 games and is T3rd in all of Minor League baseball…he has two games with 3 steals…the club’s 130 walks ranks 2nd in all of Minor League baseball outside of the Triple-A level which has played a week more of games than all other Minor League levels.
TYLER FREEMAN has reached base safely in all 19 of his games this season, slashing .347/.474/520 with 2 home runs and 17 RBI…he has 10 walks and has been hit by 9 pitches this season, ranking T1st in all of Minor League baseball…his .474 on-base percentage is the 6th-best at the Triple-A level.
BRAYAN ROCCHIO currently owns a 15-game hitting streak, slashing .371/.429/484 with 13 RBI during that span…he has 5 extra-base hits, including 3 triples, and has scored 10 times over that period…he has gone hitless in only one game this season (4/9, 0-for-4 vs. Charlotte).
TONIGHT’S STARTER – 57 SHANE BIEBER RHP
BIEBER ON THE ROAD
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023 1-0 2.88 4 4 25.0 23 8 8 4 18
Career 35-11 2.78 66 65 423.2 343 140 131 86 494
BIEBER’S MLB CAREER
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023 2-1 3.11 6 6 37.2 32 13 13 11 26
Career 56-27 3.17 119 117 740.2 650 280 261 164 857
TONIGHT’S START
The 2020 Cy Young winner is scheduled to make his seventh start of the season, fifth on the road, in the season series finale against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night…the 27-year-old right-hander is making his fifth career start against the Bronx Bombers…is making this appearance on 4 days rest after his last outing on Friday at Boston; is 30-12 with a 3.32 ERA (138ER/374.0IP) in his career on 4 days rest…Cleveland has a 77- 40 record in Bieber’s 117 career starts but is 2-4 in 2023.
LAST TIME OUT
He registered his second win of the 2023 season in a 5-2 victory over the Red Sox on Friday…Bieber tossed 7.0 innings while allowing 2 runs (earned) on 5 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts…he now has 5 quality starts in his first six starts of the 2023 season… after facing the minimum number of hitters in the 1st, an Enrique Hernández RBI-single in the 2nd gave Boston their first run of the game…Bieber retired 7 of the next 8 hitters in the 2nd-4th innings before two base hits and an Alex Verdugo RBI-groundout…he then retired 7 of the last 8 batters he faced, leaving after the 7th inning… he has recorded 4-or-fewer strikeouts in each of his last four starts, marking the longest streak of his career.
BIEBER VS. THE BRONX
This will be his fifth career start against the Yankees, owning a 2-1 record with a 4.76 ERA (12ER/22.2IP) with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks across his 4 previous starts…he has gone 7.0 innings in three of his last four starts against New York-AL, but only lasted 1.2 innings in his start against the Yankees on June 9, 2019, tied for the shortest start of his career (also 7/24/2018 vs. PIT)…in 25G/24GS against the AL East he has a 13-8 record with a 3.77 ERA (66ER/157.2IP), his highest ERA against any AL Division.
He has faced the Yankees twice in the Postseason during his career, going 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA (9ER/10.1IP) in those outings… faced New York-AL in Game 1 of the 2022 ALDS, allowing 2R/ER in 5.2 innings with 7 strikeouts and 3 walks.
ROAD RENEGADE
After concluding his 2022 season with an 8-3 mark in road starts, Bieber improved his career record on the road to 35-11 (.761) with a win in his last start at Fenway Park…he is 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA (8ER/25.0IP through his 4 starts on the road in 2023,..since July 29 of last season, Bieber is 7-0 with a 1.92 ERA (16ER/75.0IP) with 68 strikeouts and 9 walks across 11 starts on the road…during that span he ranks first in innings pitched, T1st in wins, 3rd in ERA and 4th in strikeouts (min 50.0IP on the road)…he also ranks 2nd in SO/BB (7.56), 2nd in HR/9 (0.36), 3rd in baserunners allowed-per9.0IP (8.52) and 4th in WHIP (0.93)
Among pitchers with 50-or-more road starts since 2018, Bieber’s 35 wins and 494 strikeouts in road games are 3rd-most among all MLB hurlers, behind Scherzer (36) and NYY’s Gerrit Cole (35)… Bieber’s .761 win percentage in road starts since 2018 ranks 2nd-highest among qualified pitchers (min. 30 decisions), behind NYM’s Justin Verlander (.816)…his 2.78 road ERA is also the 2ndlowest in MLB since 2018, behind Scherzer (2.75)
NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees complete their three-game homestand vs. the Cleveland Guardians tonight (1-1 thus far)…after an off day on Thursday, will embark on a three-game road trip to Tampa Bay (Fri.-Sun.).
Have won or split six of their nine completed series this season (going 5-3-1)…have lost each of their last three completed series after winning or splitting each of their first six.
Tonight marks the final day of a 16-day stretch without an off day (4/18-5/3)…are also in a 34-day stretch with just one off day (4/18-5/21).
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees snapped their season-high four-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 4-2 win over the Guardians at Yankee Stadium…RHP Gerrit Cole (6.0IP, 5H, 2ER, 3BB, 8K, 0HR, 1HP) started and did not record a decision despite allowing just 2R over 6.0 innings…SS Anthony Volpe (2-for-4, 2R, 1HR, 1RBI, 2SB) hit his third home run of the season with a solo HR in the sixth inning… 1B Anthony Rizzo (2-for-4, 1RBI) hit a game-tying RBI single in the sixth inning…DH Willie Calhoun (1-for-4, 1R, 1HR, 1RBI) hit his first home run of the season with a go-ahead solo HR in the seventh inning…3B DJ LeMahieu (1-for4, 1RBI) hit an RBI single in the eighth inning…RHP Ron Marinaccio (0.2IP, 1BB) and LHP Wandy Peralta (W, 0.2IP, 1H) were both scoreless in relief…RHP Michael King (1.2IP, 1BB, 3K) recorded his second save of the season and the third of his career.
NOBODY BEATS THE RIZZ: INF Anthony Rizzo hit a game-tying RBI single in the sixth inning on Tuesday vs. Cleveland… is batting .291 (25-for-86) with 11R, 4 doubles, 4HR, 10RBI, 6BB and 4HP in his last 23 games (since 4/9).
Has reached base in 25 of his first 30 games this season.
Including the postseason, has reached base safely in 31 of his last 34 games vs. the Guardians, batting .328/.446/.516 (40-for-122) with 20R, 8 doubles, 5HR, 19RBI, 20BB and 6HP in that span (since 10/26/16).
Has reached base in 16-of-17 games at home this season, batting .333/.431/.633 (20-for-60) with 9R, 3 doubles, 5HR, 10RBI, 8BB and 3HP in those games.
BRONX BOMBERS: Yankees batters have hit 26HR in 18 games at home this year, the fourth-most by any team in the Majors at home this season.
ON A ROLL: OF Willie Calhoun hit his first home run of the season on Tuesday with a go-ahead solo HR in the seventh inning…marked his first HR since 4/11/22 vs. Colorado with Texas.
Has hit safely in five of his last six starts, batting .318 (7- for-22) with 2R, 1HR and 3RBI in that span (since 4/25).
LEMACHINE: INF DJ LeMahieu hit an RBI single in the eighth inning on Tuesday…has hit .429/.458/.524 (9-for-21) with 2 doubles, 10RBI, 2BB and 1SF with RISP this season.
As a Yankee (since 2019), has hit .309 (118-for-382) with 17 doubles, 9HR, 172RBI, 50BB and 4HP with RISP.
Has batted .325 (38-for-117) with 16R, 6 doubles, 4HR, 14RBI, 7BB and 1SB in 30 career regular season games vs. Cleveland…has hit safely in 24-of-28 career regular season starts against the Guardians.
Is hitting .315/.383/.537 (17-for-54) with 9R, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 2HR, 9RBI, 4BB and 2HP in 15 games at home this season.
KING OF THE HILL: RHP Michael King recorded his second save of the season and the third of his career on Tuesday… has recorded at least four outs in each of his first nine appearances, tied for the fifth-longest streak by a Yankees reliever to start a season…trails his own 15-game season-opening streak as a reliever in 2021, Ron Davis’ 14-game streak in 1980, Stubby Overmire’s 10-game streak in 1951 and Joe Page’s 10-game streak in 1950.
His nine appearances of at least four outs are tied with Colorado’s Brent Suter for the most in the Majors…his seven scoreless appearances of at least 1.1IP are also tied for the most in the Majors.
TROPHY CASE: RHP Gerrit Cole was named the AL “Pitcher of the Month” for March/April after going 5-0 with a 1.11 ERA (40.2IP, 23H, 5ER, 11BB, 44K, 0HR) in six starts…led the Majors in innings pitched, tied for the best record and ranked second in ERA…marks his sixth career “Pitcher of the Month” honor and second with the Yankees (also April 2021)…is the first Yankees pitcher to be named “Pitcher of the Month” since Jameson Taillon (July 2021)… is just the fifth Yankees pitcher to be named the “Pitcher of the Month” multiple times (also Andy Pettitte – three times; Roger Clemens, Hideki Irabu and CC Sabathia – twice).
Recorded the second-lowest ERA by a Yankees starting pitcher who made at least five starts in March/April in franchise history (since ER became an official stat in 1913)…his 1.11 ERA trailed only Jimmy Key who posted a 0.93 ERA in five starts of March/April 1993.
COLE TRAIN: RHP Gerrit Cole made his seventh start of the season on Tuesday, allowing just 2ER over 6.0IP vs. Cleveland (5H, 3BB, 8K, 0HR, 1HP)…is now 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA (46.2IP, 7ER) and 52K in seven starts this season…his 1.35 ERA matches the third-lowest ERA by a Yankee through his first seven starts of a season in the last 30 years (since 1994), trailing only Hideki Irabu’s 1.13 ERA in 1998 and David Cone’s 1.33 ERA in 1999…Nestor Cortes also posted a 1.35 ERA through his first seven starts in 2022.
Is just the second Yankees pitcher in franchise history to toss at least 5.0IP and allow 2R-or-fewer in each of his first seven starts of a season, joining Hideki Irabu (first seven in 1998).
Has won five of his first seven starts this season…is one of three pitchers to go 5-0-or-better this year…joins Minnesota’s Joe Ryan (5-0 in 6GS) and Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan (5-0 in 6GS).
The Yankees are 7-0 in his starts this season…is the only pitcher in the Majors this season to make at least seven starts and have their team win each of those starts.
Has not allowed a home run this season while tossing a Major League-leading 46.2 innings…his seven-start homerless streak is the third-longest of his career (10G from 5/26-8/13/16 and 8G from 7/9-8/20/18).
Leads the Majors in innings pitched, is tied for first in wins (five), ranks second in ERA (1.35), WAR (1.9, FanGraphs), opponents’ SLG (.226) and opponents’ OPS (.476), and fourth in strikeouts (52).
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: INF Anthony Volpe hit his third home run of the season on Tuesday with a solo HR in the sixth inning…also stole two bases in the eighth inning… marked his second game this season with multiple stolen bases (also 3SB on 4/15 vs. Minnesota).
Is 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts this season… according to Elias, he is the third player to begin his Major League career with the Yankees and record his first 10SB without being caught(since 1921, when caught stealing was first recorded in the American League)… joins Joe DiMaggio (first 12SB with 0CS from 1936-38) and Buddy Rosar (first 10SB with 0CS from 1939-40).
Joins Cedric Mullins (11-for-11) as the only two players to go 10-for-10-or-better in stolen base attempts this season.
His 10SB are tied for the third-most in the AL and tied for the sixth-most in the Majors.
Is just the sixth Yankee in franchise history to record at least 10SB through his first 31 career games, joining Cozy Dolan (14SB from 1911-12), Fritz Maisel (13SB in 1913), Bert Daniels (11SB in 1910), Brett Gardner (10SB in 2008) and Roberto Kelly (10SB from 1987-88).
His 10SB are the most by a Yankee through the club’s first 31 games of a season since Jacoby Ellsbury recorded 11SB in 2015.
Is batting .333/.394/.500 (10-for-30) with 5R, 2 doubles, 1HR, 5RBI, 3BB and 2SB over his last eight starts (since 4/24).
Has reached base in 17 of his last 19 starts (since 4/12).
GLEYBER DAY: INF Gleyber Torres has reached base safely in 10 of his last 12 games.
Including the postseason, has batted .314/.382/.525 (37- for-118) with 23R, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 6HR, 19RBI, 12BB, 1HP and 2SB in 33 career games vs. the Guardians.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP CLARKE SCHMIDT (0-3, 6.84 ERA)
RHP Clarke Schmidt will make his seventh start of the season in tonight’s series finale vs. Cleveland…the 27-year-old will make the start on regular four days’ rest…made his sixth start of the season on Friday at Texas, recording the loss after allowing a career-high 5ER over 5.0IP (10H, 1BB, 8K, 1HR, 1HP)…his 8K matched his career high (also 8K in his previous start on 4/23 vs. Toronto)…struck out Ezequiel Durán (swinging) in the fifth inning for his 100th career strikeout…has tossed at least 5.0IP in each of his last two starts after throwing 4.1IP-or-fewer in his first nine career starts…made his second career Opening Day roster in 2023 (also 2022)…went 1-2 with a 5.03 ERA (19.2IP, 16H, 11ER, 4BB, 25K, 2HR, 1HP) in six spring games (five starts)…in 2022, went 5-5 with two saves and a 3.12 ERA (57.2IP, 46H, 23R/20ER, 23BB, 56K, 5HR) in 29 appearances (three starts) over four stints with the Yankees…in three starts, went 0-2 with a 4.63 ERA (11.2IP, 13H, 6ER, 2BB, 14K, 0HR)…as a reliever, went 5-3 with two saves and a 2.74 ERA (46.0IP, 33H, 17R/14ER, 21BB, 42K, 5HR) in 26 games…tossed at least 2.0 innings in 13 of his relief appearances and at least 3.0 innings in five of those relief appearances…was selected by the Yankees in the first round (16th
overall) of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of South Carolina.
LAST TIME OUT: Made his sixth start of the season on Friday at Texas, recording the loss after allowing 5ER over 5.0IP (10H, 1BB, 8K, 1HR, 1HP)…his 8K matched his career high (also 8K in his previous start on 4/23 vs. Toronto)…struck out Ezequiel Durán (swinging) in the fifth inning for his 100th career strikeout…his 5R matched a career high (also 5R on 9/12/21 at New York-NL) and his 5ER marked a new career high (previous: 4ER, five times)…his 97 pitches also marked a career high (previous: 90 pitches on 9/12/21 at New York-NL).
VS. CLEVELAND: Has made two appearances (one start) vs. the Guardians, posting a 7.50 ERA (6.0IP, 5ER) with 7K…made his first start vs. Cleveland last month at Progressive Field, allowing 3ER over 4.0IP without recording a decision (6H, 1BB, 3K, 1HR).
Made his only relief appearance on 9/19/21 at Yankee Stadium, allowing 3R/2ER in 2.0IP (4H, 2BB, 4K).
Made two appearances in relief vs. the Guardians in the 2022 ALDS, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA (1.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 1K)…made his first career postseason appearance in ALDS Game 2 at home, entering the game in the 10th inning and stranding an inherited runner after retiring all 3BF (1.0IP)…took the loss in ALDS Game 3 at Cleveland after allowing a “walk-off” single to Oscar González in the ninth (0.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 1K).
Is 2-0 with one save and a 4.15 ERA (21.2IP, 23H, 11R/10ER, 9BB, 25K, 1HR, 1HP) in nine career appearances (one start) vs. AL Central opponents…went 2-0 with one save and a 2.87 ERA (15.2IP, 5ER) and 18K in seven relief outings against the AL Central in 2022.
2023: Has made six starts this season, going 0-3 with a 6.84 ERA (25.0IP, 35H, 22R/19ER, 7BB, 32K, 7HR)…has tossed at least 5.0IP in each of his last two starts after throwing 4.0IP-or-fewer in his first four starts this season.
Has recorded a career-high-tying 8K in each of his last two starts (8K on Friday at Texas and 8K on 4/23 vs. Toronto).
Has allowed 1BB-or-fewer in five of his six starts.
Has surrendered at least 1HR in five of his six starts.
Made his first career Opening Day roster.
HOME SWEET HOME: Has made 18 appearances (five starts) in his career at Yankee Stadium, going 2-4 with one save and a 3.89 ERA (44.0IP, 38H, 24R/19ER, 18BB, 48K, 8HR) in those games.
Is 0-2 with a 4.97 ERA (12.2IP, 7ER) and 18K in three starts at home this season (4/1 vs. San Francisco, 4/18 vs. Los Angeles-AL and 4/23 vs. Toronto).
In 13 games (one start) at home in 2022, went 2-1 with one save and a 2.49 ERA (25.1IP, 16H, 8R/7ER, 12BB, 22K, 3HR)…allowed 1R-or-fewer in 12 of those appearances…tossed at least 2.0 innings in eight appearances and 3.0 innings in four of those games (all of which were scoreless).
FOR STARTERS: Will be making his 12th career start…over his first 11 career Major League starts (six in 2023, three in 2022, one in 2021, one in 2020), is 0-6 with a 6.00 ERA (45.0IP, 59H, 36R/30ER, 14BB, 52K, 8HR)…has tossed at least 5.0IP in each of his last two starts after throwing 4.1IP-or-fewer in his first nine career starts.
Is 0-3 with a 6.84 ERA (25.0IP, 19ER) and 32K in six starts in 2023…has tossed at least 5.0IP in each of his last two starts after throwing 4.0IP-or-fewer in his first four starts this season…recorded a career-high 5.2IP on 4/23 vs. Toronto…recorded a career-high-tying 8K on Friday at Texas and 4/23 vs. Toronto.
Went 0-2 with a 4.63 ERA (11.2IP, 6ER) and 14K in his three starts in 2022 (6/16 vs. Tampa Bay, 8/28 at Oakland, 9/3 at Tampa Bay).
