So far, June has been a tale of two halves for the Guardians.
At the start of the month, it was the best of times: between June 1st and June 22nd, the club went 15-4, including an 8-1 stretch against teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins.
Things were so great, that the club erased a five-game deficit in the AL Central, briefly dethroning the Twins last week.
It was a rollicking stretch, but a necessary one, too.
But flash forward to the end of the month and it’s been nothing but the worst of times for Cleveland.
The club hasn’t won a game in nearly a week and owns a five-game losing streak.
Home, (Not So) Sweet Home
Remarkably, the Guardians’ best run of the month game on a massive road trip.
In a seven-game stretch against the Dodgers, Twins, and Colorado Rockies, the club went 7-2.
Since returning home last Friday, the club is winless.
And the losses have piled up at a rough time.
First, against the Boston Red Sox, who the Guardians needed to win against to stay atop the Wild Card race.
Since welcoming the Sox into town, the Guardians vanquished their safe spot in the Wild Card, with Boston now sitting atop the race.
And now the losses are coming against the Twins.
While Cleveland managed a series win against Minnesota last week, the club lost the rubber match, carried the lack of momentum into the series against the Sox, got swept, and lost game one against the Twins on Monday.
It’s not dire straits yet, but in a matter of 72 hours, Cleveland went from the toast of the AL Central to three games back of first.
Fortunately, Cleveland still has four games in this series against Minnesota to pull themselves back in the race.
Unfortunately, Cleveland doesn’t look interested in winning.
Blowouts
Fans voiced their concern with Cleveland’s current losing streak on Monday:
Waking up this morning like pic.twitter.com/Wld7XiZDmz
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) June 28, 2022
We're in a really bad place we need a team meeting this type of lifeless play can't go on #ForTheLand
— Chuck 22 (@Chuck63618910) June 28, 2022
The situation at catcher for the @CleGuardians is dire, at best. #ForTheLand
— Bryan Fraley Jr (@bryan_fraley) June 28, 2022
Now that was painful #ForTheLand
— Chuck 22 (@Chuck63618910) June 28, 2022
I feel so deflated this is a disgrace #ForTheLand
— Chuck 22 (@Chuck63618910) June 28, 2022
Perhaps most concerning about the latest stretch for Cleveland is that the offense is simply non-existent.
Over the last five games, the Guardians have lost with a combined score of 30-9.
Despite that scoreline, the Guardians have at least been hitting the ball.
During the current losing streak, Cleveland is averaging 7.4 hits a game but has managed fewer than two runs per game (1.8).
It’s a rate that is consistent with Cleveland’s hit-for-contact approach to offense, but of late is woefully underperforming.
Franmil Reyes is supposed to be the club’s big bat, and while he’s been hitting the ball, he’s not been driving in any runs.
José Ramirez, who looks like an All-Star starter every day, has managed just one RBI over the last six games.
That’s hugely problematic for the Guardians, who tend to rely on Reyes (and over-rely) and Ramirez to bat in runs.
Steven Kwan, Andrés Giménez, and Oscar Gonzalez are excellent, but hit-first batters.
There’s still plenty of time for Cleveland to turn this around.
A win against the Twins on Tuesday is a fantastic place to start.
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