• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Cleveland Daily

Cleveland Sports News, Rumors & Highlights

  • Home
  • Guardians News
  • Cavs News
  • Browns News
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
  • About

What’s Behind The Guardians’ Recent Skid?

By Spencer Richardson June 30, 2022

Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians steals second base during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field on June 29, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio.
(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

 

The Guardians rode a 1-6 record in their last seven games into Wednesday’s contest against the Minnesota Twins.

On Tuesday, things looked on the up after the Guardians took the first game of a doubleheader 3-2.

But by the evening, Cleveland was right back where it started, having lost the second game in a 6-0 blowout.

Just one week ago, this was a ball club coasting.

Cleveland looked on a crash course with the playoffs, having clawed itself back into the wild card and division race.

Now, the team is once again adrift in the AL Central, three games behind the Twins.

What’s causing Cleveland’s latest skid?

 

Early Leads

No one likes playing behind.

Unfortunately, Cleveland has been playing behind far more than playing ahead.

Between June 23 and June 28, Cleveland played seven games.

That’s right, seven games in just six days.

But in those seven games, Cleveland trailed for a whopping 36 innings.

Further, Cleveland scored first in only two of those games; one of those occasions was the club’s only win among those seven games.

Even worse, the Guardians are coughing up runs early: almost every game over this seven-game stretch saw opposing teams scoring within the first three innings.

What does that all lead up to exactly?

First, the offense is a no-show (more on that below).

Second, the starting pitching has left a lot to be desired.

And that’s borne out if we look at the numbers.

Over the last seven days, Cleveland pitchers have an atrocious combined 6.08 ERA.

Essentially, Cleveland’s starters have done a poor job of keeping the team in games early, which has led the club to play behind more often than not.

Look, seven games in six days are brutal.

That speed of play can be especially brutal for pitchers, whose time between starts is necessarily shorter as a result of clustered games.

Point at the AL MVP #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/W0DS9vs9Ga

— Stephen (@Scuba_Steve26) June 21, 2022

But let’s face it: the starting rotation needs help.

Shane Bieber‘s 3.07 ERA is the best on the team.

He’s followed by guys like Triston Mckenzie (4.03), Zach Plesac (3.86), and Aaron Civale (7.20).

Cleveland’s latest skid exposed the fact that the club needs one more arm that it can count on to keep the team in games early.

 

Silent Bats

The pitchers haven’t been the only issue of late for Cleveland.

Cleveland’s bats are consistently inconsistent.

What do I mean by that?

On any given night, the pitching rotation likely has little idea how much run support it can expect from the batters.

In 23 games, the pitchers have received between zero and two runs of support.

Also in 23 games, batters have provided between three and five supporting runs.

And in 25 games, pitchers have received six or more runs to back them up.

At first blush, that might seem healthy: the Guardians aren’t overloaded in any one category.

But in reality, that makes planning and pitching difficult.

Hard to watch @CleGuardians lately when the pitchers constantly fall behind in the count and walk hitters. #ForTheLand

— craig s (@csloball) June 28, 2022

If Bieber or McKenzie knew reliably how many runs they would get from the batters, their job becomes infinitely easier.

As does Terry Francona‘s job, who could better plan around his pitchers and batters.

Unfortunately, the Guardians aren’t providing much of anything at the dish lately.

Over that seven-game stretch mentioned above, Cleveland has been outscored 13-38.

Twice the Guardians have been blanked.

Over that same stretch, Cleveland hasn’t managed more than three runs in any game, while their opponents have routinely jacked six runs or more.

José Ramirez, who the Guardians lean on more than probably any other player, has been struggling heavily as well, batting just .269 with just one RBI.

Unfortunately, Ramirez is struggling at an awful time.

Perhaps Cleveland looks at its situation and decides to pick up an arm and a bat via trade.

Or maybe the front office decides contention is still a year away.

Fortunately, a walk-off win against the Twins on Wednesday is exactly what the doctor ordered to turn things around.

    Get ALL the latest Cleveland sports news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Cleveland daily newsletter here!    

Filed Under: Cleveland Guardians Rumors And News (Updated Daily) Tagged With: cleveland guardians

Reader Interactions

Follow Cleveland Daily!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Cleveland Guardians News

Military aircraft fly over Progressive Field during the national anthem prior to the home opener of the Cleveland Guardians against the San Francisco Giants on April 15, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The Giants defeated the Guardians 4-1.

Top Guardians Prospect Falls In Latest Rankings

7 months ago

Andres Gimenez #0 of the Cleveland Guardians (center) is congratulated by teammates after he hit a grand slam home run against the Oakland Athletics in the top of the third inning at RingCentral Coliseum on April 29, 2022 in Oakland, California

What To Watch For As The Guardians Face Tough Schedule Stretch

7 months ago

baseball on field

Does The MLB Owe The Guardians An Apology?

8 months ago

Manager Terry Francona #77 of the Cleveland Guardians watches from the dugout during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Progressive Field on May 19, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Guardians Rated Highly In Latest Power Rankings By MLB Insiders

8 months ago

Emmanuel Clase #48 and Josh Naylor #22 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate after the final out of their MLB game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 14, 2022 in Toronto, Canada.

What’s Behind The Guardians’ Recent Winning Streak?

8 months ago

Andres Gimenez #0 of the Cleveland Guardians (center) is congratulated by teammates after he hit a grand slam home run against the Oakland Athletics in the top of the third inning at RingCentral Coliseum on April 29, 2022 in Oakland, California

Report: Guardians Unlikely To Be Big Spenders This Winter

8 months ago

Austin Hedges #17 celebrates with teammate Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians after beating the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 27, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts.

3 Surprising Guardians Stats With 50 Games Left

8 months ago

Luke Maile #12 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly to defeat the Oakland Athletics at Progressive Field on June 10, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Athletics 3-2.

MLB Insider "Sells" Deep Guardians Playoff Run

8 months ago

Military aircraft fly over Progressive Field during the national anthem prior to the home opener of the Cleveland Guardians against the San Francisco Giants on April 15, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The Giants defeated the Guardians 4-1.

Fans React To Guardians Moving To First In The Division

8 months ago

Franmil Reyes #32 of the Cleveland Guardians singles off Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox in the seventh inning at Progressive Field on July 13, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The White Sox defeated the Guardians 2-1.

What's Next After Franmil Reyes DFA?

8 months ago

Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Progressive Field on August 03, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Could Shane Bieber Be On The Move This Winter?

8 months ago

Outfielders Alex Call #65 Myles Straw #7 and Nolan Jones #33 of the Cleveland Guardians run in after the Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field on July 16, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Tigers 10-0.

Solving The Guardians' Logjam At Right Field

8 months ago

baseball on field

Report: Guardians Pursuit Of Deadline Target Fell Apart Over Prospects

8 months ago

Military aircraft fly over Progressive Field during the national anthem prior to the home opener of the Cleveland Guardians against the San Francisco Giants on April 15, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The Giants defeated the Guardians 4-1.

What Is The Guardians Outlook After A Quiet Trade Deadline?

8 months ago

Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals looks on during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 06, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Is Daniel Espino Too High A Price For Juan Soto?

8 months ago

Alex Call #65 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates with teammates after scoring in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on July 31, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida.

Fans React To Guardians Win Versus Rays

8 months ago

Josh Naylor #22 of the Cleveland Guardians flips his bat after hitting a RBI single in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox during game one of a doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 23, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois.

How Josh Naylor’s Injury Affects Guardians’ Trade Deadline Plans

8 months ago

Sean Murphy #12 of the Oakland Athletics bats against the Houston Astros at RingCentral Coliseum on July 10, 2022 in Oakland, California.

Report: Oakland's Sean Murphy A Guardians "Top Target"

8 months ago

Austin Hedges #17 celebrates with teammate Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians after beating the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on July 27, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts.

What To Watch For In Guardians Series Versus Rays

8 months ago

Starting pitcher Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Guardians throws against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at Coors Field on June 14, 2022 in Denver, Colorado.

What Is Shane Bieber's Value?

8 months ago

Pitcher Logan Allen #54 of the Cleveland Indians throws in the bullpen during summer workouts at Progressive Field on July 06, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio.

2 Bullpen Targets For Guardians At Trade Deadline

8 months ago

Willson Contreras #40 of the Chicago Cubs smiles during the 92nd MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Dodger Stadium on July 19, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

Guardians Among "Most Likely" Trade Destinations For Cubs' Contreras

8 months ago

Shane Bieber #57 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on July 06, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan.

What Is Shane Bieber's Future In Cleveland?

8 months ago

Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox slides home to score in the fifth inning against Luke Maile #12 of the Cleveland Guardians during game two of a double header at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 23, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois.

Fans React To Guardians Doubleheader Versus White Sox

8 months ago

Primary Sidebar

Search Cleveland Daily

Follow Cleveland Daily!

Footer

Privacy Policy

Terms And Conditions

Contact Us

Copyright © 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - ClevelandDaily.com is not affiliated with the Cleveland Indians or Major League Baseball.