Cleveland Guardians vs. Baltimore Orioles, August 31, 2022
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- September is here and the Guardians are still in first place in the AL Central by a slim margin over the Twins.
There are big games to play and manager Terry Francona and the front office have to be concerned about their team’s ability to score runs.
They went 16-11 in August, their second-best month of the season record-wise, but the offense did not look good. In 13 of their 27 games, they scored three or fewer runs. They were shut out four times, including twice in their last three games.
The Guardians scored 99 runs in August. Only the A’s, non-contenders since opening day, scored fewer.
In 27 August games, the Guardians averaged 3.7 runs per game. The only reason they went 16-11 was because of their pitching.
Cleveland’s pitching staff posted an AL-leading 2.80 ERA in August. The rotation went 10-9 with a 3.27 ERA, while the bullpen went 6-2 with a 1.87 ERA with eight saves.
Guardians pitchers are tied for the MLB lead with a 3.14 ERA since the All-Star break. The bullpen, which saw its streak of 32 1/3 scoreless innings end Wednesday night in a 4-0 loss to Baltimore, has a 1.94 ERA since the break.
Cleveland’s approach on offense is no secret. They’re built to win games by inflicting 1,000 paper cuts on the opposition. They hit just 21 homers in August. Aaron Judge hit nine all by himself for the Yankees.
August is the first month the Guardians didn’t average more than four runs per game. That is not a good sign for what September brings: eight games in 11 days against the Twins, four against the White Sox and six against wild card contenders Seattle and Tampa Bay.
Jose Ramirez, who hit .272 (28-for-103) with five homers and 22 RBI in August, knows what the stretch run is about. Who else among Cleveland’s position players can say that?
Rookie Oscar Gonzalez hit .286 (28-for-98) in August, but ended the month in a 3-for-24 skid. Amed Rosario, the G’s most consistent hitter next to Ramirez, hit .259 (29-for-112) after hitting .360 in June and .298 in July. Josh Naylor, second on the team in homers to Ramirez, hit .198 (17-for-86) with two long balls in August. Myles Straw, who lost his starting center field job, hit .093 (7-for-75). Will Benson, who replaced Straw, hit .143 (5-for-35), while Owen Miller hit .210 (13-for-62) with one homer an four RBI.
Andres Gimenez hit .326 (29-for-89), Steven Kwan .296 (29-for-98) and Luke Maile .333 (13-for-39) in August. But do the Guardians really have enough firepower to win the division? Because the wild card possibilities are harrowing for any team that calls the AL Central home.
Rosters expand to 28 players today. The Orioles selected the contract of prospect Gunnar Henderson before Wednesday’s game. He homered and singled in his big league debut to help beat the Guardians.
It does not sound as if the Guardians will promote hot-hitting catcher Bo Naylor to help the offense. Then again, they’ve spent the whole season giving their young players a chance. Fourteen players have made their big league debut so far for Cleveland with right-hander Morris and a position player to be named today waiting in the wings.
They’ve each given the roster a jolt in their own way. Right now it would be nice if one them -- or anyone else for that matter -- could do it with some consistency for the last 34 games of the season. A trip to the postseason depends on it.
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