Injuries Require Cleveland Guardians To Promote Two Young Starting Pitchers

Unexpectedly, the Cleveland Guardians are in the midst of a very exciting American League Central Division pennant race.

When the season began, the defending American League Central Division Champion Chicago White Sox were favored to win the division once again. Their greatest competition was thought to come from the improved Minnesota Twins.

The Guardians finished last season in second place in the AL Central, 13 games behind the White Sox. The Twins were a distant last, 20 games behind Chicago.

In the early weeks of the season, the Guardians were searching for offensive players that could potentially add more punch, help them score more runs, and add power to their lineup.

But a funny thing happened in the first half of the season. A different brand of baseball emerged on the shores of Lake Erie:

Guardians Turn To Youth:

The Guardians took a page out of baseball history regarding the way they played the game.

They used basic baseball fundamentals; including solid contact hitting, seeing lots of pitches while going deep in counts, putting pressure on the defense with aggressive base running, and playing solid defense as the blueprint for success.

Coming out of spring training, Steven Kwan, (25) won a role as a starting outfielder. Second baseman Andres Gimenez, (24) and shortstop Amed Rosario, (26) blossomed in the middle-infield. They both came to Cleveland in the trade of shortstop Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets. Both Gimenez and Rosario were hitting well and playing outstanding defense as the season progressed.

The youngest team in baseball was having fun… and winning.

Josh Naylor, (25) returned from career-threatening ankle surgery to stake his claim as the regular first baseman. Naylor continued to show he can hit big league pitching.

Kwan smoked the ball to the gaps, dropped hits in front of outfielders, or simply outran throws from infielders to reach first base.

Gimenez and Rosario hit the outfield gaps, used the entire field, and advanced Kwan into scoring position or drove him home.

Naylor flashed a powerful left-handed bat, winning games for his team with timely hitting.

More and more prospects graduated from their minor league development programs and joined the parent club. A new landscape had emerged at Progressive Field.

Oscar Gonzalez, 24, who wasn’t even protected on the offseason 40-man roster, has had success as a big league hitter and defender in right field. His loud bat has produced timely hits. His solid fielding and strong arm have helped his pitchers contain innings.

Left-handed hitting outfielder Will Benson has been promoted and has played in the outfield, while producing offensively when coming off the bench as a pinch hitter.

Prospect Tyler Freeman, 23, has been promoted and has played well in the infield and at designated hitter.

As the season progressed, the Cleveland Guardians were on a roll. By mid-August they had advanced to first place in the division.

Starting Pitcher Injuries:

For more than five months of the season, the Guardians had avoided serious injuries.

Yes, pitcher Aaron Civale spent two separate stints on the Injured List with a wrist strain and then a strained glute. But there weren’t any other serious injuries that cost the team extended playing time.

But then, a September disaster took place. It was clearly more than a hiccup, or a temporary blip on the way to the postseason.

On September 2, Cleveland lost two starting pitchers to injuries.

Civale went on the Injured List for the third time this season. This time it was with forearm inflammation. For this scout, that offers a yellow caution light to any team. With Civale having had a wrist issue and a strained glute earlier in the year, the forearm strain could mean he has been compensating for pain by changing his mechanics. Or, it could mean further issues are in the windshield. He could be facing extended time off the mound while completely resting his arm and not pitching.

Or, he could feel better with rest and return to the rotation sooner than one might expect.

Because it was so unnecessary, the other pitching injury would make any manager steam.

Right-hander Zach Plesac was placed on the Injured List due to a broken finger. He suffered the injury after pounding the mound with his right hand in frustration in a game in Seattle against the Mariners. That happened on August 27, with his team in first place. Plesac pounded the ground after yielding a home run to the Mariners Jake Lamb in the 7th inning. Cleveland won that game, and Plesac got the win.

After the incident on the mound, Plesac experienced swelling in his hand, and an imaging test revealed the fracture.

It was not the first time Plesac’s temperament resulted in an injury that required a trip to the Injured List.

On May 23, 2021, Plesac suffered a non-displaced fracture of his right thumb. In frustration after his outing, he aggressively tore off his uniform in the clubhouse, hitting his thumb on a chair.

Plesac had also missed time away from the Cleveland Indians in August 2020, when he and former Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger broke MLB COVID-19 protocols. They were both placed on the MLB restricted list. Both Plesac and Clevinger were sent back to Cleveland in a car service from where they were playing in Chicago.

The Indians felt the indiscretions so serious, they briefly sent Plesac and Clevinger to the minor leagues.

While Civale’s injury may have been unavoidable and can be described as a hazard of pitching, there can be no good reason or excuse for Plesac to have lost his composure enough to pound the mound in frustration. Especially after his temperament cost him a broken thumb a year earlier.

Young Pitchers Step Up:

The loss of both Civale and Plesac forced the Guardians to turn to inexperienced starters who had not totally completed their minor league development. Both still could have used more innings of work in the team’s development program.

Manager Terry Francona called on two young players from the Columbus Clippers Triple-A team to make emergency starts in Civale and Plesac’s pitching slots.

Right-hander Cody Morris, 25, made his major league debut September 2 against the Seattle Mariners in Cleveland. Morris went 2 innings, yielding 4 hits and 3 runs, with 2 earned. He gave up a home run, walked 2, and struck out 3. He finished his debut with a 9.00 ERA. He was credited with the loss in the 6-1 Mariners victory.

Morris made his second start September 7 against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City. In that game, the rookie faced legendary Zack Greinke, who is in year 19 of his major league career.

Morris looked very sharp. He went 4 scoreless innings, leaving for reliever Sam Hentges in the bottom of the 5th. Morris yielded 3 hits, walked 1 and struck out 2 in his second emergency start for the Guardians. His ERA was down to 3.00 at the end of the game. Cleveland lost the game.

Right-hander Xzavion Curry, 24, made his big league debut in mid-August against the Detroit Tigers. Curry went 5 innings against the Tigers August 15, yielding 8 hits and 3 earned runs in 5 innings. He walked 1 and struck out 3. Curry took the loss in the game.

Then, with Civale and Plesac on the Injured List, Curry made an emergency start September 3. He lost to the Mariners, going 4.1 innings, and yielding 5 hits and 4 earned runs. He took the loss in the 4-0 Mariners shutout victory.

Curry was optioned back to Columbus on September 4.

As of this writing, replacement pitchers have now made three starts that would have gone to Civale and Plesac.

Down The Stretch They Come:

Now, due to injuries, the Guardians face the prospect of finishing their season potentially having to rely upon starters who aren’t as experienced as Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac.

And, it is likely the bullpen might be called upon to enter games earlier than desired, taxing one of the greatest strengths of the team. The bullpen has been superb, and has kept the Guardians in games or protected leads on a consistent basis.

Cleveland finishes the season with the following schedule:

September 8-Off Day

September 9-10-11 at Minnesota Twins

September 12-13-14- home against Los Angeles Angels

September 15-home against Chicago White Sox (makeup game)

September 16-17-18-19-home against Minnesota Twins

September 20-21-22-23-at Chicago White Sox

September 23-24-25-at Texas Rangers

September 26-Off Day

September 27-28-29- home against Tampa Bay Rays

September 30-October 1-2-3-4-5 home against Kansas City Royals

(September 3, 4, 5 are all rescheduled games)

A good team can cover injuries. The Cleveland Guardians are hoping they have enough pitching depth with starters such as Cody Morris and Xzavion Curry likely making starts in the rotation until the injured Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac return.