Guardians lethargic series against Mets sets up must-win series against division-leading White Sox

When it’s all said and done, Foster Griffin may end up helping pitch the Guardians into the postseason. But the start of that Cleveland tenure got off to the worst possible start.

At the start of Cleveland's game against the Mets today, Griffin took the ball with a ton of momentum behind him. By the time it was over and the dust had settled, Austin Hedges was on the mound to soak up the final outs in Cleveland’s 13-5 loss to the Mets. 

With the loss, the Guardians have now dropped to two games below .500 (57-59) for the first time all season. 

While the Guardians have a golden chance to avenge their showing against the Mets with a pivotal three-game series against the White Sox this weekend, Griffin’s rough outing was apt end to Cleveland’s horrible showing against a lowly Mets team that gutted its big league roster at the trade deadline. 

Foster Griffin’s Guardians tenure started in the worst way possible 

Although the Guardians’ offense was able to do its job for most of the series against the Mets, their usually steady pitching staff fell victim to a Mets lineup that included hitters like Eric Wagaman, Cristian Pache and Jorge Polanco. 

Normally the Guardians scoring 12 runs across a three-game series would be cause for celebration; instead it was just a sad footnote in one of the Guardians’ worst series of the year. 

Thursday’s game started exactly how the Guardians would have drawn it up, as Griffin struck out the side in the first inning ahead of Cleveland’s offense tallying two runs in the bottom of the frame. 

But those good vibes quickly went away in the bottom of the second thanks to a home run from Marcus Semien on a ball left over the middle of the plate that was followed by a two-run homer from Luis Torrens on a cement mixer curveball. 

In total, Griffin went just four innings and allowed five runs on seven hits. It was just the sixth time he's allowed multiple homers in a start.

It was also the second time he’s allowed five runs in a start against the Mets this season, though the first time came in a 9-6 Nationals win in May. 

That outing set the table for a lackluster performance from Cleveland’s bullpen where Matt Festa allowed one run while Craig Yoho surrendered three runs and Slade Cecconi allowed four in his second appearance out of the bullpen.  

That performance came a day after Cade Smith and the back of the Guardians’ bullpen blew it in the second game of the series. 

But even if Griffin’s Guardians debut didn’t go well, it’s important to have (some) patience. This was just his second time pitching at Progressive Field (his first time was 2/3 of an inning in relief) along with being his first time working with Patrick Bailey. 

The lone bright spot for the Guardians is that pretty much every team around them in the standings has also struggled this week.

At worst, the Guardians are going to enter this weekend series against the White Sox with a four game deficit in the American League Central. Not great, but not insurmountable by any means. 

Although the Guardians' struggles this week have put them in a hole, this weekend's series gives them a great opportunity to dig themselves out of it. It's just going to be on them to do it.

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