The Cleveland Guardians dropped a 5-4 decision to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Goodyear Ballpark on Tuesday in spring training play. Despite Kyle Manzardo's 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBI effort at the plate, the Guardians could not pull even when it mattered. Joey Cantillo worked 3.0 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits. The Dodgers out-hit the Guardians 7-4 on the day. Despite the result, the coaching staff gathered useful data on the current state of the roster. Spring training losses sting, but the information gained will inform decisions as Opening Day approaches.
Key Performers
Kyle Manzardo was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Guardians confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Brayan Rocchio chipped in, going 1-for-3, Juan Brito added to the attack, going 1-for-1, and Nick Mitchell provided support, going 1-for-1 with a double. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, Miguel Rojas led the Dodgers offense with a 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI day. Zach Ehrhard also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBI. Ryan Ward added a 1-for-3 with an RBI effort as well. The Dodgers offense proved to be too much for the Guardians pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Joey Cantillo got the start, putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.0 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 58 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Guardians evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.0 innings of work, allowing 2 earned runs while striking out eight. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Ronan Kopp recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Colin Holderman stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Guardians struck first, tallying four runs in the first inning. Dodgers answered with two runs in the third. Dodgers tacked on three runs in the fourth. Dodgers out-hit the Guardians 7-4, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 5,735 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
It was not the outcome the Guardians were looking for, but spring training provides a forgiving environment to work through the rough patches. The focus remains on preparation and development, and the coaching staff will use today as a teaching opportunity. The regular season is right around the corner, and every game is a chance to improve.
