Guardians Look To Rebound Before All-Star Break After One Of Worst Offensive Months In Team History
The Guardians went 9–15 in June and had a .206 batting average, which is tied for the third-worst batting month in franchise history with at least 13 games played. 'We need to score more. We need to get more going,' manager Stephen Vogt said. 'We're all trying to be perfect right now, whether it's pitchers, position players, doesn't matter. Everybody's trying to be perfect. We need to relax. We need to just take a deep breath, take a step back and go play baseball.'
Cleveland, which is on a four-game losing streak, begins a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. At 40–42, they are 2 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot after being five games over .500 and in wild-card position on June 1. Last season, the Guardians won the AL Central and reached the AL Championship Series.
The Guardians dropped five of six on its recent homestand and were shut out three times. They have scored runs in only two of the last 40 innings. They scored 72 runs during the month, the third-fewest they have scored in a June in franchise history. 'I think it's frustrating, but if we knew the answer we would've done it two months ago,' outfielder Nolan Jones said. 'We have the arms to compete against anybody and have some guys who have been swinging it well and some guys like myself who haven't been contributing a ton.'
José Ramírez is seventh in the American League with a .309 batting average and leadoff hitter Steven Kwan is 11th at .295. The rest of the everyday lineup, though, doesn't have anyone batting above .250. The organization hoped catcher Bo Naylor would bounce back after batting only .201 last season, but that hasn't happened. Naylor has a .168 average and mired in a 1 for 31 slump since June 10.
Outfielders Lane Thomas and David Fry–the heroes of last year's AL Division Series victory over Detroit–have also struggled with injuries and slow starts at the plate. Fry missed the first two months after undergoing offseason elbow surgery and is 6 for 43 with 21 strikeouts since returning. Thomas–who had stints on the IL because of wrist and foot injuries–is batting .168 but is 6 for 24 in his last seven games.
The lack of offense is not surprising, as it was a potential concern during spring training. The Guardians go into July with a .226 team average, second-lowest in the majors.
Despite the offensive struggles, the Guardians continue to get solid pitching. The staff had a 3.79 ERA in June, which was eighth-lowest in the majors. Shane Bieber was hoping to be back by the All-Star break after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last April, but his comeback is delayed by elbow soreness.
Chris Antonetti, Cleveland's president of baseball operations, did credit Naylor as one reason for the pitching staff's solid month. 'The pitching staff has not wavered, and the fact that he's been able to help, and he's been a big part of that group making progress over the last couple months and separate his offense out from that, it's a great credit to him,' Antonetti said.
Whether help is on the way through the minors or other moves leading up to the July 31 MLB trade deadline is something to keep an eye on. Outfielder Chase DeLauter is batting .305 in Triple-A Columbus with a 26-game on-base streak, while first baseman/outfielder C.J. Kayfus has 10 home runs and a .303 average. The biggest concern with DeLauter remains injuries. He was contending for a roster spot during spring training before having surgery in March to address a sports hernia injury.
'We're constantly thinking about 'How do we find that right mix of guys to give us the best chance to compete each night at the major league level?' And we do believe that we will get reinforcements and support from some players that are not yet at the major league level,' Antonetti said. 'I think as we look forward, the results will be better from here than they've been over the last month. I don't think the last month is indicative of the potential of the guys that are on the roster.'
After a difficult June, the schedule doesn't get any easier for the Guardians. After the Cubs series they host AL Central leader Detroit for three games before a seven-game road trip to Houston and the Chicago White Sox ahead of the All-Star break.
'We've got 13 games in a row coming up after this off-day. We have an opportunity to get it rolling, and that's the way I look at it,' Vogt said. 'This is a really talented team. I believe in each and every one of these guys, and I know we're going to break out of it.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Start of NHL's free agency expected to lack frenzy with many high-profile players off the board
No Mitch Marner. No Aaron Ekblad. No Brad Marchand. No frenzy? With a majority of the NHL's top-projected free-agent talent already off the market, the 32 teams face relatively slim pickings entering the league's annual signing period opening Tuesday at noon EDT. A record $7.5 million jump in the NHL's salary cap led to many teams locking up their own talent to long-term deals in advance of free agency. The Vegas Golden Knights proved the big winners, acquiring Marner in a sign-and-trade deal agreed to Monday with Toronto to land free agency's most prized player. And the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers took Ekblad and Marchand off the board by re-signing each to a lengthy contract. As the dust settled, the top players entering the market include forwards Winnipeg's Nikolaj Ehlers and Vancouver's Brock Boeser, Los Angeles defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, and New Jersey goalie Jake Allen. Teams are expected to turn to the trade route in bids to improve their rosters. The Buffalo Sabres are among the candidates to be involved in those moves, not ruling out the possibility of dealing 24-year-old defenseman Bowen Byram. Another, and older, defenseman Erik Karlsson could be on the move from Pittsburgh. And Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi's name has come up in trade buzz. By no means is this year's free agency period expected to generate the headline-grabbing moves made a year ago, when the Nashville Predators spent a combined $115 million in salary to secure forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, defenseman Brady Skjei, and goalie Scott Wedgewood. But plenty of money is set to be spent. San Jose is nearly $20 million below the salary floor, and teams from Anaheim to Carolina and beyond have room under the cap to get better.
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
NBA free agency opens with Spurs, Rockets, Hawks, Magic and Mavs among those making early moves
NBA NEW YORK: Victor Wembanyama has another big man to help him out in San Antonio. The Houston Rockets continued their offseason overhaul. And Orlando and Atlanta made moves with eyes on contending this coming season as the NBA's free agency period got underway Monday. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The Spurs lured center Luke Kornet away from Boston with a four-year, $41 million deal, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team cannot announce the deal until the league's signing moratorium for most contracts is lifted on Sunday. Kornet was part of Boston's 2024 NBA title team and has shot 68 percent from the field in 205 games, mostly off the bench, over the last three regular seasons. He figures to add frontcourt depth to the Spurs, who are hoping to have Wembanyama — the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year and an All-Star this past season — back and ready to go after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in a shoulder back in February. The Rockets, meanwhile, added veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith on a four-year, $53 million deal shortly after free agency opened. ESPN first reported the deal, and a person with knowledge of the agreement confirmed the terms to AP. Houston becomes Finney-Smith's fourth team after stints with Dallas, Brooklyn and the Los Angeles Lakers. He'll be added to a Rockets club that earlier this summer landed Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade with Phoenix, though that deal cannot receive formal approval from the NBA until next week. Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points and was a 41 percent shooter from 3-point range this past season. ESPN also reported that the Rockets' run on free agents continued with the addition of center Clint Capela, who spent the first six years of his career in Houston before playing for the last five seasons in Atlanta. Capela agreed to a three-year deal with the Rockets, ESPN said. Dallas, which needed some point guard help especially because the newly re-signed Kyrie Irving — rehabbing from an ACL tear — may not be ready to play until about midseason, agreed with D'Angelo Russell on a two-year contract worth nearly $13 million. Russell would be part of the backcourt depth on a club with an imposing front line that, if healthy, would include No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and promising young center Dereck Lively II. Hawks, Magic eyeing moves in East Atlanta added Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Minnesota on what will be a four-year, $62 million deal following a completion of a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves. Minnesota will get a draft pick, cash considerations and will create a trade exception once the deal is finalized, a person with knowledge of the move told AP. The Magic, meanwhile, added Tyus Jones on a one-year deal. He joins an Orlando roster that already landed Desmond Bane from Memphis in a trade, and the Magic — who played long stretches last season without Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs because of injuries — should be a legit East contender this season if healthy. It was a big night for the Jones family: Tyus Jones' brother, Tre Jones, agreed Monday on a three-year deal to return to the Chicago Bulls. Free agency 'officially' starts The free agency period officially opened at 6 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, but in actuality, was rolling long before that. LeBron James has already opted in to a $52.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for this coming season, the Rockets traded for Durant — not a free agency move, obviously — and the Los Angeles Clippers saw James Harden decline his option in return for a new deal and a raise. There was even a surprise addition to free agency, with Portland announcing it has bought out the contract of former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, allowing him to sign with any team he chooses. And on Monday, even before the shopping window officially started, more deals: Nicolas Batum will come back to the Clippers, his agency said, on a two-year deal, while Joe Ingles agreed to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Deals like those could get done before the official start time because teams are allowed to negotiate with their own free agents once the NBA Finals are finished. Other deals In other deals confirmed by AP on Monday night: — The Los Angeles Clippers added Brook Lopez — most recently of Milwaukee — on a two-year deal worth about $18 million. — Veteran guard Bruce Brown returned to the Denver Nuggets, a team he helped win the 2023 NBA title. — Center Kevon Looney agreed to a two-year deal with New Orleans, after he spent his first 10 seasons with Golden State. — Guard Caris LeVert will sign a two-year deal worth nearly $15 million annually with the Detroit Pistons, a team that won 14 games in 2023-24 and then won 44 games to earn the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference this past season. — Luka Garza joined Boston, after the Celtics lost Kornet, on a two-year, $5.5 million deal, agent Mark Bartelstein said. Salary cap set The NBA announced Monday that it has set the salary cap for the coming season at $154.647 million, the maximum allowed 10 percent increase over the level for this past season. The tax level for the 2025-26 season is $187.895 million, the league said. What's already happened — Julius Randle returns to the Timberwolves with a potential $100 million deal. — Bobby Portis stays with the Bucks, keeping the popular sixth man in Milwaukee. — Duncan Robinson terminates his contract with the Heat, though he may return. What's next In very specific situations, teams can announce signings when completed. But in most situations, and this even applies to some draft-related trades (such as the one involving Durant going to Houston), teams won't be able to announce those until at least July 6.
Al Arabiya
10 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Diamondbacks snap a 4-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Giants
Alek Thomas went 3 for 3 with two runs scored. Ryne Nelson struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings, and the Arizona Diamondbacks snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4–2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. One pitch after Nelson was pulled in the seventh after exceeding his pitch count, Tyler Fitzgerald sent a shot to the warning track in center – just past a diving Thomas – to score two runs and tie it at 2. The Diamondbacks answered with a run in the seventh on Geraldo Perdomo's bloop single to score Thomas. A controversial call for fan interference came in the top of the eighth on Christian Koss' deep shot to left-center field, resulting in a ground-rule double. John Curtiss struck out Rafael Devers, and Shelby Miller came in to get Heliot Ramos looking. Eugenio Suarez added a solo shot in the eighth – his 11th home run in June. The Giants have lost three in a row. Nelson allowed two earned runs and five hits while not giving up a walk. Curtiss (1–0) got his first win of the season, and Miller earned his first career four-out save. Diamondbacks pitchers combined to hold the 1-2-3 hitters to 1 for 12 with seven strikeouts. San Francisco starter Logan Webb (7–6) allowed three earned runs and seven hits while striking out seven in 6 1/3 innings. Key moment: San Francisco manager Bob Melvin was ejected in the ninth inning after arguing with the home plate umpire. Key stat: Webb allowed just his seventh home run of the season when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit his 11th in the sixth for a 2–0 lead. Up next: Arizona will start RHP Zac Gallen (5–9, 5.75 ERA) on Tuesday night against the Giants, who he has beaten twice in a row with a 0.75 ERA. San Francisco will go with RHP Hayden Birdsong (0–0, 4.13 ERA).
