Tag Archives: Austin Hedges

Four homers power Cleveland past Texas 7-2

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The Cleveland Baseball Club bounced back Wednesday as they homered four times in their 7-2 win over the visiting Texas Rangers.

Looking to change their fortunes from Tuesday’s 7-3 loss, Cleveland turned to the long ball. Cleveland homered four times in the contest as they came away with a 7-2 victory over Texas, a near inverse of the result from the previous day.

Oscar Mercado, Yu Chang, and Austin Hedges each hit solo home runs to get the scoring started. With Mercado homering in the 2nd while Chang and Hedges each went yard in the 5th. The Rangers were able to cut the Cleveland lead to one after a Jason Martin two-run homer in the 6th.

Even though the Rangers were doing their best to come back, Cleveland answered in the bottom half of the 6th with a RBI double from Chang and an Owen Miller RBI single.

Franmil Reyes would hit Cleveland’s fourth home run of the contest in the 7th, making it a 6-2 game. The final run of the game was scored in the 8th as Miller grounded into a fielder’s choice allowing Bradley Zimmer to score.

Zach Plesac started the game for Cleveland, scattering eight hits and three walks across 5.2 innings with 2 runs scoring. James Karinchak, Blake Parker, and Emmanuel Clase handled the final 3.1 innings, with Karinchak and Parker allowing the only Rangers hits over the final frames.

The third and final game of the series will take place 7:10 P.M. Thursday at Progressive Field as both teams look to win the series.

 

Cleveland defeats Detroit 7-5

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The Cleveland Baseball Club came away with a 7-5 win over the Detroit Tigers after falling behind early.

Finding themselves down 5-2 in the 4th inning, things were not looking great early for the Cleveland Baseball Club. A short outing from Zach Plesac meant the team had to piece together 5 innings of pitching. Plesac allowed five runs on two hits with three walks as his struggles continue. Luckily, Cleveland scored five unanswered runs en route to a 7-5 victory.

The comeback started in the 4th with Oscar Mercado reaching on a walk. A throwing error from Tigers shortstop Zach Short resulted in Mercado on third and Owen Miller on second. Andres Gimenez would hit a sacrifice fly to bring Cleveland within two. A RBI single from Austin Hedges would make it a 5-4 game in the very next at-bat. Ernie Clement would follow with a RBI double, tying the game at 5.

In the 7th is when Cleveland would take the lead for good. Myles Straw reached on an infield single. Bradley Zimmer would step to the plate and crush a big fly to the right field stands, giving Cleveland a 7-5 lead.

James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase would lock down the 8th and 9th innings as Cleveland came away with a series and season win over the Tigers.

Cleveland will take on the Cincinnati Reds Monday in a makeup game from earlier this season. Afterwards the Oakland Athletics come to town for a three game series.

Mejia ineffective as Cleveland loses 8-6

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The Cleveland Baseball Club was put behind the eight ball as they dug a hole they couldn’t get out of.

An ineffective start from JC Mejia essentially decided the game in the 1st inning Wednesday night. The Cleveland starter surrendered four runs in the 1st inning, another in the 2nd, and three more were charged to Mejia in the 3rd. Two of the runs that came across in the 3rd inning were after Mejia exited. In total, Mejia lasted just 2.1 innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits and four walks. This was the second straight start that a Cleveland starter failed to record a strikeout.

Cleveland attempted an ambitious comeback late in the game, scoring four runs in the 8th and another two in the 9th, but it was not quite enough as they lost by a score of 8-6.

Four straight hits in the 8th got Cleveland on the board. It was a bases loaded three RBI double from Owen Miller which gave Cleveland some faint signs of hope. Austin Hedges would follow up with a single of his own, allowing Miller to advance to third. Bradley Zimmer would promptly drive in Miller with a sacrifice fly.

In the 9th it was solo home runs from Jose Ramirez and Oscar Mercado which brought Cleveland within two, but that was as close as the would get as the final out was recorded shortly afterward.

Cleveland uses 13 hits to top Chicago 12-11

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The Cleveland Baseball Club did the unthinkable as they managed to outhit the Chicago White Sox and come away with a win.

Considering the overall lack of offense for the Cleveland Baseball Club this season, coming out on top of a slugfest did not seem to be a likely scenario. However, that was the case Saturday night as they topped the Chicago White Sox 12-11.

Cleveland used 13 hits including three home runs, six doubles, and a triple en route to scoring 12 runs. Every single batter in the lineup got a hit with Amed Rosario, Jose Ramirez, Harold Ramirez, and Austin Hedges even collecting two.

Homering in the contest were Amed Rosario, Austin Hedges, and Owen Miller. It was the first career home run for Miller who took Dallas Keuchel deep in the 5th. Keuchel would exit in the very next inning. 

Pitching wise it was a rough outing all around. Triston McKenzie got the start and Chicago scored six runs on four hits and three walks in just 4 innings. Bryan Shaw would allow two runs on three hits in just one third of an inning. James Karinchak allowed three runs on two hits and one walk in one third of an inning as well. Justin Garza, Nick Sandlin, and Emmanuel Clase were the only Cleveland pitchers to not allow a run to cross, but they only accounted for 4 innings in the contest.

At this point Cleveland just needs to let the young guys play and see what they have. Eventually some more highly regarded prospects will get their chance, but for now it is evaluation time with any win they get along the way as a bonus. 

Even with the win, it is still an 8 game lead for the White Sox in the division. Cleveland trails Oakland by 5.5 for the second Wild Card spot. 

Cleveland has a chance to win the series against the White Sox Sunday at 2:10 P.M. 

How should Cleveland approach the deadline?

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With the trade deadline rapidly approaching and the Cleveland Baseball Club pretty far out from contention, how should they handle the next few days?

At this current moment in time the Cleveland Baseball Club is nearly 10 games back of the AL Central leading Chicago White Sox and there are three teams in between ahead of them in the race for the second Wild Card. Considering their current spot in the standings and the fact they are still missing the majority of their pitching staff, it is time to consider selling at the trade deadline. Cleveland needs to reset their roster, get some answers on their younger players, and get ready for next season.

As far as trade candidates go, anyone not named Shane Bieber should be discussed. That does mean that exploring a trade involving Jose Ramirez should be on the table, but considering the high price they will be asking for it is unlikely to happen. However, if a team is desperate enough and offers a king’s ransom for Ramirez, those expirations better turn into serious considerations.

Another player that should fall into this category is James Karinchak. Cleveland has no reason to trade Karinchak, but if a team is looking to solidify their bullpen and offers a worthwhile package, they would be fools not to consider. Add in the fact of the volatility with relievers in general and the fact the team add more talent into their system, it is not out of the realm of possibilities.

Players that could/should be moved

Finally, the section everyone has been waiting for. Who could the team actually move? For starters Cesar Hernandez seems like a no-brainer. Hernandez has a team-option for next season and currently has a career-high 17 home runs on the year. Any contender would love to add someone who can hit from both sides of the plate and extend their lineup just a bit more.

If any team actually comes to the table and offers anything for Eddie Rosario they should take it. Rosario has been a disappointment in Cleveland this season and if they can flip him or anything they should take advantage of that opportunity.

Bryan Shaw is another name that could be on the move. Contenders are always looking for relief help and Shaw is in the middle of a renaissance season after three unsuccessful seasons elsewhere. Shaw’s 2021 ERA of 2.84 is the best since the 2014 season while his 1.331 WHIP has not been bested since his last season in Cleveland (1.213 in 2017).

Bargain options for contenders

Much like what their approach to Eddie Rosario should be, they should apply that same logic to Bradley Zimmer. If a team is looking for someone to be a pinch runner late in games, Zimmer is their guy. From Cleveland’s perspective they need to clear some room in the outfield to get better looks at other options in their system.

Blake Parker is another relief arm that could be on the move. Parker has been steady in his limited role this season (2.70 ERA and 1.260 WHIP in 16.2 innings). Even if Parker is a moderate upgrade over lower end relievers, teams should be interested in some capacity.

The catchers

Cleveland should explore trading one of their catchers. Roberto Perez is making $5.5 million this season with a team option worth $7 million for next year while Austin Hedges is making just under $3.3 million and is entering his final year of arbitration next season. Considering the offensive limitations of both players and the dollar figures the team is spending in this area, moving one of these salaries prior to the deadline should be considered. Hedges has four home runs and 14 RBI in 49 games with a .159/.204/.245 slash line while Perez has six home runs and 15 RBI in 30 games with an uninspiring .153/.272/.357 slash line. To be blunt, the catcher position has been a black hole this season and that is being nice. Moving on and trying to find someone else to man the position beyond this season should be an option for the front office.

Cleveland Baseball Club at the All-Star Break

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Where do things stand with the Cleveland Baseball Club as they trail by eight games in the division?

Looking at the injured list for the Cleveland Baseball Club one would think that this team is without a doubt a below .500 team, but somehow the Fighting Francona’s are 45-42 on the year despite a rash of injuries and underwhelming offense. So, where do things stand with the Cleveland Baseball Club at the All-Star Break?

Injuries

Josh Naylor is out for the season after suffering a gruesome injury not too long ago. That is only the most recent major injury for the team. Cleveland has also dealt with injuries to two other prominent outfielders on the roster, Eddie Rosario and Jordan Luplow. Additionally, the club was without both Roberto Perez and Austin Hedges for a time, forcing them to rely on the combo of Rene Rivera and Ryan Lavarnway. That is before even discussing the injuries to their pitching staff. Shane Bieber has been shelved for quite some time as well as Aaron Civale. Cleveland just saw the return of Zach Plesac after he got hurt in a strange series of events.

The key players who have played a role in the team staying afloat

This conversation obviously starts with Jose Ramirez. Ramirez is having a down year from the slash line perspective up to this point (.260/.346/.524/.870), but the counting stats seems to be right on track. The 2021 All-Star has 19 home runs, 18 doubles, 1 triple, 52 RBI, 8 stolen bases, and 35 walks in 82 games.

Franmil Reyes has been another key factor for Cleveland as he seems to have finally become comfortable since being traded in 2019. The slugger has 14 home runs, 10 doubles, and 2 triples with 38 RBI and 14 walks in 47 games. Reyes did miss some time due to injury so considering that into the mix his production is fairly impressive.

The one player that everyone has been clamoring for, Bobby Bradley. Bradley finally has been given his chance and seems to performing as expected. Bradley has 10 home runs, five doubles, and 20 RBI in 31 games. The one issue that everyone was aware of prior to his call up was strikeouts as Bradley has struck out 36 times in 119 plate appearances. As long as Bradley is hitting the ball over the fence and into the gap the strikeouts are palatable, if not it is a different story altogether.

While Cesar Hernandez has struggled in areas that he is usually proficient in (batting average, on-base percentage), the unexpected power production has been a welcome sight. Hernandez has 15 home runs and 13 doubles with 38 RBI in 85 games. The 15 home runs from Hernandez ties a career-high from 2018, a season which also saw the second baseman focus on power.

Opponents after the break will dictate what the team does

There is a lot that will be learned after the All-Star Break as the Cleveland Baseball Club embarks on a tough schedule. Cleveland will travel to Oakland and Houston before returning home to face Tampa and St. Louis with two games in Chicago against the White Sox taking place before the trade deadline. If Cleveland is going to actually stay in contention they will have play above expectations during this stretch. Closing the gap between themselves and Chicago and Oakland will be crucial if they are going to avoid selling.

Trade candidates

If things do not go their way and Cleveland needs up selling, there are some pretty obvious names the team can move at the deadline. As far as position players are concerned, Eddie Rosario and Cesar Rosario come to mind. Both players are on one-year deals and could be of interest to contending teams looking to add another bat to their lineup. It would also give Cleveland the chance to get a good long look at some of their younger players in their farm system at those positions.

Also worth noting is that there are a couple of relief arms that could be moved as well. When it comes to the trade deadline teams are always looking to add another arm to the bullpen. There are three names that Cleveland could end up moving if things do not go their way. Those arms would be Bryan Shaw, Blake Parker, and Nick WIttgren. While none are elite arms by any means, teams are always looking to add to their bullpen and adding one of these three could make a huge difference for a contender.

Rest of season outlook

This is really tough to predict considering the wide range of outcomes that could occur for Cleveland. The team has mostly overachieved considering the talent level of some of their players and the injuries that have occurred. Somehow they are not completely out of it in the division, but that is mostly due to the White Sox dealing with their own rash of injuries. One bad week could send the team from contention to selling while one good week could keep the team in the playoff hunt. Their best bet is most likely a soft sell of sorts, moving pieces that would provide the biggest return and see how the rest of the season plays out.

Cleveland dominates Detroit in 13-5 win

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The Cleveland Baseball Club completely dominated the visiting Detroit Tigers with a season-high 13 runs in their eight run victory.

After a weekend that saw the Cleveland Baseball Club drop two of three to the Minnesota Twins and lose Josh Naylor for the foreseeable future, a big offensive showing was desperately needed. Luckily for the Cleveland, the Tigers came to town and they teed off on the Detroit pitching staff.

Cleveland raced out to an early 2-0 lead in the 1st with a RBI groundout from Jose Ramirez and a sacrifice fly from Eddie Rosario, driving in Cesar Hernandez and Amed Rosario respectively. After the Tigers scored a run in the 2nd, Cleveland added three more to their total. Bradley Zimmer drove in Harold Ramirez to bring their lead back to two. Austin Hedges would follow with a two-run homer, his fourth of the season.

Detroit would score again the 4th to cut into the Cleveland lead yet again. Just like earlier in the game Cleveland would answer with four runs in the inning. Cesar Hernandez would drive in Ernie Clement to make it a 6-2 lead. Jose Ramirez came up next and clobbered a three-run homer to increase the lead to seven.

The Tigers would answer again on a two-run homer to cut the lead to five. Cleveland’s lead would again grow back to seven thanks to a RBI single from Harold Ramirez and a sacrifice fly from Austin Hedges.

Eddie Rosario would double home Jose Ramirez in the 6th to make it a 12-4 game. Then in the 7th Jose Ramirez would drive in his fifth run of the game on a RBI single allowing Ernie Clement to score.

Cleveland’s pitching does just enough

With the way that Cleveland’s offense has been this season, giving up five runs in a game might end up with a loss. Thankfully the offense decided to unload on the Tigers allowing a lot of breathing room for a depleted pitching staff.

Eli Morgan won his first career game despite allowing four runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Three of the four runs allowed by Morgan came on the long ball as Miguel Cabrera and Jake Rogers took him deep.

Nick Sandlin would pitch a scoreless 6th inning with two strikeouts and Blake Parker struck out all three batters he faced in the 7th.

Nick Wittgren was the only other Cleveland pitcher to allow a run. Wittgren surrendered a solo home run Robbie Grossman in the 8th. Bryan Shaw would pitch the final frame, walking one and striking out another.

Game 2 between Cleveland and Detroit will take place at 7:10 P.M. Tuesday at Progressive Field.

Three runs in 8th leads to 4-1 win for Cleveland

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The Cleveland Baseball Club utilized a three-run 8th inning to propel themselves to a 4-1 win against the Minnesota Twins.

The ability to score runs when it matters most is a trademark of good teams. With the game tied at 1, the Cleveland Baseball Club scored three runs in the 8th to come away with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota and Cleveland traded runs in the 1st and 2nd innings as the Twins scored first with Cleveland answering in the next half-inning. Austin Hedges drove in Bobby Bradley to level the score when it was their turn in the 2nd. What this really showed was that both J.C. Mejia and Jose Berrios were extremely impressive Thursday night. The final pitching lines for both players were incredibly similar as Mejia allowed just one run on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 6 innings while Berrios allowed one run on four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in 6.1 innings.

The difference in the game came down to the bullpen. Cleveland deployed Blake Parker, Bryan Shaw, and James Karinchak for the final 3 innings with the trio allowing just two hits. Minnesota turned to Jorge Alcala in the 8th and allowed three runs on two hits in just two-thirds of an inning. Eddie Rosario drove in Amed Rosario and Austin Hedges to give Cleveland a 3-1 lead. Bobby Bradley would follow with a RBI groundout which allowed Jose Ramirez to score.

Coming away with a win in the first of four games in Minnesota is a huge win. Cleveland is still hanging around in the AL Central as they trail the Chicago White Sox by just two games. Cleveland can draw closer with a win on Friday and the Mariners coming away with an unlikely victory in Chicago.

Game two in Minnesota will take place at 8:10 P.M. at Target Field.

Cleveland clobbers Cardinals 10-1

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The Cleveland Baseball Club bounced back with a 10-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

There is one thing that the Cleveland Baseball Club needed after dropping two of three to the Baltimore Orioles and that was a blowout victory. That is just what happened as Cleveland demolished the St. Louis Cardinals on the road 10-1.

Shane Bieber was Cleveland’s starter and was his usual dominant self, allowing just one run on five hits and two walks. The one surprising aspect of his outing is that Bieber only struck out five batters. Luckily the Cleveland offense did more than enough to secure the victory.

Jose Ramirez drove in nearly half of Cleveland’s runs as he went 3-5 with four RBI. Three of his runs driven in came on a three-run homer in the 3rd inning.

Cleveland took advantage of Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez who is known for being quite wild. Martinez only lasted 4 innings as he allowed five runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out seven. Accumulating strikeouts has never been an issue for Martinez, it is the fact he can be hit around fairly easily and walks occasionally get the best of him.

Other batters of note

Amed Rosario went 3-5 as hit hot streak continues since moving to shortstop exclusively.

The other Rosario, Eddie Rosario, went 3-5 as well with two RBI.

Josh Naylor was 2-5 in the contest with a run scored.

It was a 2-4 performance at the plate for Austin Hedges as he is 4-13 to start the month of June.

Cleveland will play the second and final game of the contest Wednesday at 8:15 P.M.

Cleveland holds on for 6-5 victory over White Sox

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The Cleveland Baseball Club managed to hold on and defeat the Chicago White Sox by a score of 6-5.

It was high drama at Progressive Field Tuesday evening as the Cleveland Baseball Club was clinging to a one-run lead as the Chicago White Sox were putting together a furious rally. Luckily James Karinchak was able to get out of his own mess and preserve the 6-5 win for Cleveland, their second straight over the White Sox.

Cleveland managed to get on the board early in this one as a mix of hustle and a balk led to two runs being scored in the 1st inning. Josh Naylor would reach on an infield single allowing Amed Rosario to score. Harold Ramirez followed with an infield single of his own which led to Eddie Rosario scoring. Cleveland briefly gave up the lead on a Billy Hamilton two RBI double. There is more to this play as Hamilton advanced to third on the play and subsequently home scoring as Austin Hedges lost the ball attempting to make a play at the plate.

A RBI single from Harold Ramirez the following inning would tie things back up at three, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Austin Hedges would clobber a two-run homer in the 4th. Jose Ramirez would also drive in Amed Rosario to make it 6-3 Cleveland. Jose would later leave the game but it was only a precautionary measure due to dehydration.

Shane Bieber was Cleveland’s starter and it was a typical Shane Bieber outing. Bieber allowed two runs (three total) on five hits and two walks while striking out seven. Bryan Shaw would pitch the 8th and it was a bit of an adventure for the surprisingly effective relief pitcher. Two batters would reach in the inning before Shaw managed to strike out Yermin Mercedes to end the inning setting up Karinchak’s rollercoaster affair in the 9th.

The fourth and final game of the series is scheduled for Wednesday at 1:10 P.M. with Jean Carlos Mejia starting in place of Eli Morgan.