News and Notes for Sunday, June 30th, 2024
Tanner Bibee:
-Won a start to stop a three-game losing streak
-Beat an upstart division rival
-Bested one of the top starters in the American league
-Found a way to win while not having his best stuff
-Went six innings and gave his team a quality start in a big game
These are all qualities of an ace, and Bibee came through in a big spot as the Guardians beat the Royals 7-2, alleviating a little of the pressure to try to win a Logan Allen start today.
The Guardians’ offense put up some great at-bats vs. the Royals Cole Ragans, who is a great pitcher, including young Jhonkensy Noel who put the Guardians ahead for good in the game with this missile, the hardest hit ball by a Guardians’ player in the StatCast era:
Remember The First Noel? Well, this is the sequel.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/sT8QxJnOAr
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 29, 2024
Was this foul? Impossible to say for absolute certain. Maybe. But, I vote we let hits that look this amazing count as home runs.
The Guardians proceeded to score four more runs, anyway. Jose Ramirez, as usual, was at the center of things.
José rips a double to left to score Ty as the @CleGuardians add to their lead #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/Rr5tSnDoH3
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) June 29, 2024
How Hosey managed to pull this ball is beyond us.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/GHjzGNe7lQ
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 29, 2024
Andres Gimenez got off the schnide with two hits, and Steven Kwan and Josh Naylor also added two hits. David Fry managed to work a couple of walks. The bullpen shut out the Royals for the last two innings, with Scott Barlow closing out the game and giving Emmanuel Clase a nice little break here after a busy time for the dominant Guardians’ closer.
It would be a very good road trip if the Guardians can somehow find a way to win the Allen-Lugo matchup this afternoon. But, winning yesterday at least makes the trip through Baltimore and suddenly nightmarish Kaufmann stadium tolerable. The Guardians will either go 14-11 or 15-10 in the month of June depending on how today’s game goes.
Rumors are swirling on Twitter that Triston McKenzie will be headed to Columbus for Gavin Williams to return to the Guardians’ roster. So, we will see how that pans out, as Stephen Vogt promised an update on Williams’ return today in the postgame.
Around MLB:
The Twins won in Seattle, 5-1, helped by a late three-run homer from Byron Buxton.
The Tigers lost to the Angels. There is little doubt the Tigers will be selling in the month ahead and I still want the Guardians to find a way to get Jack Flaherty from their division rivals.
