Following a needed off day, the American League Central-leading Cleveland Guardians welcome one of their closest pursuers in the division.
Looking to continue their home success Friday night, the Guardians face a Minnesota Twins club trying to avoid a fourth straight defeat overall while also attempting to stay hot on the road.
Cleveland entered its Thursday off day having gone 8-8 during a stretch of 16 games without a day off. The Guardians remain atop the Central despite that break-even performance, which ended with a seven-game road trip. Cleveland dropped three of four to the suddenly competitive Chicago White Sox last weekend, then took two of three from the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers.
“You always want to be better than that with your record,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “But we won three out of five series (during that consecutive-game stretch) and did a great job of staying right where we are (in the standings).”
The Guardians scored seven runs in each contest of a three-game winning streak that ended with a 4-0 loss at Texas on Wednesday. Cleveland managed just six singles against four Rangers pitchers in the series finale.
Cleveland has averaged five runs and clubbed 18 homers while winning 10 of its past 13 home contests. Budding star Josh Naylor is batting .328 at home and has hit seven of his 12 home runs in 17 home contests this season. Meanwhile, fellow Guardians star Jose Ramirez has five homers and 14 RBIs in his past 12 at home.
Scheduled Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie (2-3, 3.54 ERA) posted a 6.23 ERA while losing two of his first three 2024 starts but is 1-1 with a 2.28 ERA in his past five outings. The right-hander allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings but received little run support during the Guardians’ 3-1 loss to the White Sox on Saturday.
“Moving forward,” said McKenzie, who is 2-5 with a 5.14 ERA in 10 career starts vs. the Twins.
Cleveland swept an abbreviated two-game set at Minnesota in early April.
The Twins were on a 17-3 stretch prior to being swept by the New York Yankees in a three-game home set this week. Capped by a 5-0 loss on Thursday, Minnesota was outscored 14-1 by the Yankees and shut out in consecutive games for the first time since May 31-June 1, 2022.
“We have to forget about it,” Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We actually have to move on.”
The Twins, though, totaled 67 runs while winning eight of their past nine road games.
Minnesota’s Max Kepler is 2-for-19 versus McKenzie but is batting .391 (9-for-23) with a homer and eight RBIs during his seven-game road hitting streak. Meanwhile, teammate Carlos Correa is hitting .357 (5-for-14) in his past four road contests, and he is 5-for-14 with two homers against McKenzie.
Scheduled Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson (1-0, 3.24 ERA) will look to rebound after giving up five runs on eight hits (including two solo homers) in 4 1/3 innings during a no-decision against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Minnesota led 7-1 after 2 1/2 innings before losing 10-8.
The talented, 23-year-old right-hander, who made a total of two big-league appearances in 2022 and ’23, yielded four earned runs over 20 2/3 innings (1.74 ERA) as Minnesota won each of his first four 2024 starts.
“It’s all me,” Woods Richardson said of his most recent performance. “There’s no way that we have that type of a lead and I don’t go out and finish and give my team the best chance to win.”
Minnesota outfielder Byron Buxton could return this weekend from a right knee issue that has kept him out since May 1.
–Field Level Media
