Guardians’ unconventional pitching plan dooms them in Game 4 loss to Rays (but there’s a silver lining)

The first inning of Game 4 of the ALCS on Saturday went exactly how Stephen Vogt and the Guardians wanted. 

Shawn Armstrong danced around some damage for a scoreless inning to set things up for bulk pitcher Foster Griffin while Chase DeLauter staked the Guardians to an early lead with an RBI single.

But then things changed. Not only did the bays go silent, but the Guardians’ pitching plans went by the wayside behind Griffin. 

The Rays got their first lead in the sixth inning on an RBI double from Junior Caminero that was set up by two inning-opening walks, while they added three more runs in the seventh inning off Tim Herrin and Slade Cecconi. 

Although those pitching struggles may have doomed the Guardians in their loss on Saturday, they didn’t need to use any of their impact bullpen arms, which could end up having a huge impact over the next 72 hours when these teams play three games in three days. 

The Guardians' bullpen is in a good spot for the final three games of the ALCS

Perhaps the biggest pitching loss the Guardians suffered stems from the fact the Rays finally got to Espino after he opened the series with two straight scoreless appearances. And not only did the Rays get to him via that Caminero double (man, does that sting), but it also likely removes Espino from the Guardians’ pitching plans tomorrow in Game 5. 

The Guardians had some late-season success using Espino as an opener ahead of Joey Cantillo, but it’s hard to believe that’ll be the case since Espino threw 22 pitches today (and had an up-down). 

Speaking of tomorrow, Griffin was initially in line to start tomorrow’s game, but Vogt called on him to pitch today after the rain delay meant he could start on normal rest. 

Griffin's useage means that Parker Messick will start tomorrow after initally being in line to start Game 6.

Although the Rays won, Kevin Cash still has some pitching uncertainty after he used Freddy Peralta for 2/3 of an inning Saturday in relief of Nick Martinez. Peralta was in line to start either Sunday or Monday’s game, but his relief appearance could change things. 

Cash also had to use Ian Seymour (who nearly gave the game away), Kevin Kelly and Bryan Baker to pick up the win, while Vogt finished the game with Slade Cecconi and Matt Festa.

That “victory” may seem like cold comfort given it came in a Guardians loss, but it’s a win for the Guardians since it means Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Erik Sabrowski won’t need to pitch four straight games. 

And it’s not like those Guardians pitchers looked bad; Herrin’s command issues came up again, but Cecconi was sharp but doomed by a double steal. Festa pitched a scoreless eighth inning before giving up a homer to Yandy Díaz in the ninth.

Those kinds of things may not be big deals in the regular season, but it can make all the difference in the razor-thin margins of the postseason.

Both bullpens were put in a precarious position when Friday’s postponement meant both teams are going to need to play four games in a row, and the Guardians’ bullpen is going to be a bit fresher in the final three games of the series. 

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