Mar 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively (39) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images The Cleveland Guardians will be the last major league team to make their home debut when they host the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday.
The Guardians opened the season with a nine-game road trip that ended with a 3-6 record. It’s not the mark they hoped to bring back to Progressive Field, but it won’t quell their enthusiasm.
“We’re pumped to get home,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “We know we’re going to be better than this offensively. We know we’re going to be better than this defensively. We know we’re going to pitch better, so I’ve got the utmost confidence in our guys.”
The Guardians combined to go 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position the past two games, a 10-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday and a 6-2 loss in the series’ rubber game on Sunday.
“We have these opportunities to score, we’re just not getting it done,” Vogt said. “It’s still early. I like where our guys are at. We’re having good at-bats. I just think we need to turn it up a little bit. We need to get some stuff going our way and, when we do get those guys on, keep the line moving.”
The Guardians also committed four fielding errors in the most recent three-game series, including two by third baseman Jose Ramirez, giving him four on the season. Cleveland has the lowest fielding percentage in baseball at .970.
“We’re not making plays we’re capable of making,” Vogt said. “They know it. We’re working every day. It’s not a lack of effort. It’s just, for whatever reason right now, we’re having a little bit of trouble on defense and we know that’s not going to stay. We know that’s going to get better, and we’re going to get it going on Tuesday.”
Vogt plans to send right-hander Ben Lively to the mound for the home opener.
Lively (0-1, 6.75 ERA) will be making his third start of the season, most recently taking the loss after surrendering four runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings of a 5-2 setback at the San Diego Padres on April 2.
He has made three starts in his career against the White Sox and is 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA.
The White Sox plan to counter with rookie right-hander Shane Smith.
Smith (0-0, 3.18) went 5 2/3 innings in his major league debut on April 1, allowing two runs and two hits while striking out three and walking four in an 8-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
Smith took a 3-0 lead into the sixth before leaving in the middle of the five-run inning as the Twins took control.
“He did great. That was awesome. He was under control,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “I thought he had composure out there, really overpowering with the fastball, good secondary stuff. Was able to mix it up and get some really good hitters out.”
Smith got the first two batters out in the sixth inning of his MLB debut, but then departed after walking back-to-back batters on nine pitches and the bullpen wasn’t able to bail him out.
“Whether I say I’m tired or I’m not, if I’m missing fastballs up, that’s an indication,” Smith said of his fatigue level. “I wanted the last guy. I think every guy wants their last guy. They don’t want to be pulled in the middle of an inning. I felt good for most of it, but didn’t throw strikes when I had to.”
–Field Level Media
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Red Bull fined €50k after trying to remove Norris’ grid tape
A pre-race rules breach for which Red Bull were fined at the United States Grand Prix involved a team member attempting to remove tape guiding McLaren driver Lando Norris to his grid position.Red Bull were fined 50,000 euros by the FIA after the stewards found that a member of the team had "re-entered the gate well area at Gate 1 in proximity of the second grid position," which belonged to Norris on Sunday at the Circuit of The Americas, after the cars had pulled away for the formation lap. Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race from pole position, following his Sprint victory on Saturday, to complete a dream weekend in which the Dutchman gained 23 points on world championship leader Oscar Piastri to close to within 40 points of the McLaren driver with five rounds remaining.Norris lost a place […]
4. Pleite in Folge! Wirtz nur auf der Bank! – Liverpool hat das „Real Madrid“-Problem
Nach dem schwachen Saisonstart des FC Liverpool hat Vereinslegende Jamie Carragher klare Worte gefunden – und dabei nicht etwa Versäumnisse einzelner Spieler der „Reds“ in den Vordergrund gestellt, sondern Trainer Arne Slot (46) direkt in die Pflicht genommen!Liverpool investierte im Sommer Hunderte von Millionen von Euro in neue Top-Transfers, darunter Florian Wirtz (22) und Alexander Isak (25). Doch bisher zahlen sich die Mega-Einkäufe nicht aus – im Gegenteil: In zehn Premier-League-Spielen kommen beide zusammen auf nur eine Vorlage, kein Tor. Und mit der 1:2-Niederlage gegen Manchester United am Sonntag hat der amtierende Meister etwas den Anschluss an die Spitze der Tabelle verloren.Mehr zum Thema<!-->[-->Carragher: „Es ist Unsinn, Wirtz draußen zu lassen!“Carragher kritisierte bei „Sky Sports“, dass Wirtz zuletzt zweimal nur auf der Bank saß: „Die Idee, dass Florian Wirtz nicht in der Liverpool-Elf steht, ist Unsinn. Wenn man 140 Millionen Euro […]
Tawanda Muyeye: ‘Test cricket and playing for England has been a goal of mine for so long’
This article is part of The Athletic’s series marking UK Black History Month. To view the whole collection, click here.The words are delivered without a hint of arrogance but, rather, with self-belief and the assurance that comes with the strength gained from the extraordinary journey he has already undertaken.Advertisement“I don’t just want to play two or three times for England. I want to play at least 50 Tests and have a full international career,” says Tawanda Muyeye when asked about his ambitions for a career that has taken him from Zimbabwe to county cricket with Kent and a place at the top of the order with the all-conquering Oval Invincibles in The Hundred.“Where do I hope to be in five years? I want to be playing in all formats for England and in the IPL, which is the highest level outside […]
Blackhawks’ Frank Nazar, Spencer Knight proving to be worth every cent
CHICAGO — The dollar signs could have been adding up in Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson’s head.With every Frank Nazar goal and Spencer Knight save, which there have been a lot of early this season, that could have equated to increasingly larger salaries for both players in the future.AdvertisementInstead, Davidson can sit back, watch both players take that next step in their development and feel fortunate he has already taken care of the contracts they would have been due this offseason. With Knight at $5,833,333 for the next three seasons and Nazar at $6.6 million for seven years, the Blackhawks have to feel good about the possibility of having two very team-friendly deals for years to come.Sunday, Nazar and Knight continued to build on their promising starts to the 2025-26 season. Nazar scored the Blackhawks’ lone regulation goal and […]
Newcastle United’s worrying away trends
Audacious. Ingenious. Sublime.Nick Woltemade’s inspired flick at the Amex deserves recognition and it warrants celebration. Few, if any, other Premier League players would have even attempted that finish, never mind executed it so expertly.But Woltemade’s goal stood out even more, beyond its brilliance, because it was very much the exception. Until that 76th-minute equaliser, Newcastle United had created precious few clear-cut chances.AdvertisementThat shortcoming has become a worrying trend, especially away, where Newcastle have now equalled their longest winless run in the Premier League under Eddie Howe. Fourth @premierleague goal for Big Nick 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/pN3gdn7Siw — Newcastle United (@NUFC) October 18, 2025Newcastle have played seven top-flight fixtures on the road since their last away victory at Leicester City on April 7 — drawing four and losing three — which matches the seven-game winless streak between October 2023 and January 2024, the […]
Everton’s evolution can only go so far unless key issues are addressed
Everton lack a quality striker. They are short at full-back, particularly on the right. Neither of those sentences are revelatory.Much of the early part of the season has been spent talking about these weaknesses in the squad, something that will continue until they are remedied.Both issues came to the fore again in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat away to Manchester City, a game in which Everton threatened to spring a surprise for nearly an hour, only to surrender meekly in the space of five second-half minutes.AdvertisementWhile they competed up to a point, they did not capitalise on their opportunities. The problem was that few expected them to do so, and the door was always left open to their superior hosts.Up front, Beto spurned chances again. A kind reading would say the cross for his first of the match was slightly in front […]
Related
Red Bull fined €50k after trying to remove Norris’ grid tape
A pre-race rules breach for which Red Bull were fined at the United States Grand Prix involved a team member attempting to remove tape guiding McLaren driver Lando Norris to his grid position.Red Bull were fined 50,000 euros by the FIA after the stewards found that a member of the team had "re-entered the gate well area at Gate 1 in proximity of the second grid position," which belonged to Norris on Sunday at the Circuit of The Americas, after the cars had pulled away for the formation lap. Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race from pole position, following his Sprint victory on Saturday, to complete a dream weekend in which the Dutchman gained 23 points on world championship leader Oscar Piastri to close to within 40 points of the McLaren driver with five rounds remaining.Norris lost a place […]
4. Pleite in Folge! Wirtz nur auf der Bank! – Liverpool hat das „Real Madrid“-Problem
Nach dem schwachen Saisonstart des FC Liverpool hat Vereinslegende Jamie Carragher klare Worte gefunden – und dabei nicht etwa Versäumnisse einzelner Spieler der „Reds“ in den Vordergrund gestellt, sondern Trainer Arne Slot (46) direkt in die Pflicht genommen!Liverpool investierte im Sommer Hunderte von Millionen von Euro in neue Top-Transfers, darunter Florian Wirtz (22) und Alexander Isak (25). Doch bisher zahlen sich die Mega-Einkäufe nicht aus – im Gegenteil: In zehn Premier-League-Spielen kommen beide zusammen auf nur eine Vorlage, kein Tor. Und mit der 1:2-Niederlage gegen Manchester United am Sonntag hat der amtierende Meister etwas den Anschluss an die Spitze der Tabelle verloren.Mehr zum Thema<!-->[-->Carragher: „Es ist Unsinn, Wirtz draußen zu lassen!“Carragher kritisierte bei „Sky Sports“, dass Wirtz zuletzt zweimal nur auf der Bank saß: „Die Idee, dass Florian Wirtz nicht in der Liverpool-Elf steht, ist Unsinn. Wenn man 140 Millionen Euro […]
Tawanda Muyeye: ‘Test cricket and playing for England has been a goal of mine for so long’
This article is part of The Athletic’s series marking UK Black History Month. To view the whole collection, click here.The words are delivered without a hint of arrogance but, rather, with self-belief and the assurance that comes with the strength gained from the extraordinary journey he has already undertaken.Advertisement“I don’t just want to play two or three times for England. I want to play at least 50 Tests and have a full international career,” says Tawanda Muyeye when asked about his ambitions for a career that has taken him from Zimbabwe to county cricket with Kent and a place at the top of the order with the all-conquering Oval Invincibles in The Hundred.“Where do I hope to be in five years? I want to be playing in all formats for England and in the IPL, which is the highest level outside […]
Blackhawks’ Frank Nazar, Spencer Knight proving to be worth every cent
CHICAGO — The dollar signs could have been adding up in Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson’s head.With every Frank Nazar goal and Spencer Knight save, which there have been a lot of early this season, that could have equated to increasingly larger salaries for both players in the future.AdvertisementInstead, Davidson can sit back, watch both players take that next step in their development and feel fortunate he has already taken care of the contracts they would have been due this offseason. With Knight at $5,833,333 for the next three seasons and Nazar at $6.6 million for seven years, the Blackhawks have to feel good about the possibility of having two very team-friendly deals for years to come.Sunday, Nazar and Knight continued to build on their promising starts to the 2025-26 season. Nazar scored the Blackhawks’ lone regulation goal and […]
Newcastle United’s worrying away trends
Audacious. Ingenious. Sublime.Nick Woltemade’s inspired flick at the Amex deserves recognition and it warrants celebration. Few, if any, other Premier League players would have even attempted that finish, never mind executed it so expertly.But Woltemade’s goal stood out even more, beyond its brilliance, because it was very much the exception. Until that 76th-minute equaliser, Newcastle United had created precious few clear-cut chances.AdvertisementThat shortcoming has become a worrying trend, especially away, where Newcastle have now equalled their longest winless run in the Premier League under Eddie Howe. Fourth @premierleague goal for Big Nick 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/pN3gdn7Siw — Newcastle United (@NUFC) October 18, 2025Newcastle have played seven top-flight fixtures on the road since their last away victory at Leicester City on April 7 — drawing four and losing three — which matches the seven-game winless streak between October 2023 and January 2024, the […]
Everton’s evolution can only go so far unless key issues are addressed
Everton lack a quality striker. They are short at full-back, particularly on the right. Neither of those sentences are revelatory.Much of the early part of the season has been spent talking about these weaknesses in the squad, something that will continue until they are remedied.Both issues came to the fore again in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat away to Manchester City, a game in which Everton threatened to spring a surprise for nearly an hour, only to surrender meekly in the space of five second-half minutes.AdvertisementWhile they competed up to a point, they did not capitalise on their opportunities. The problem was that few expected them to do so, and the door was always left open to their superior hosts.Up front, Beto spurned chances again. A kind reading would say the cross for his first of the match was slightly in front […]
Be the first to leave a comment