While the Cleveland Guardians wait for one key contributor to return from injury, another is set to go.
With All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan considered day-to-day, Ben Lively takes the mound after dodging a serious injury in his most recent outing, as the American League Central-leading Guardians look for a second straight win and series split with the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
Kwan was scratched from Friday’s lineup with a back issue that also forced him to miss Saturday’s 6-1 victory over the Rays.
“Kwan had some mid-to-low back tightness (and) stiffness going on,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “So, we went and got a scan. It came back good, but he’s still pretty sore.”
While it’s uncertain if Kwan needs an injured-list stint, Lively (11-9, 4.01 ERA) won’t miss any time after he took a liner off his right thigh during Tuesday’s 5-0 victory against the Chicago White Sox. Getting hit by the drive forced him to exit after two innings.
In the days since, Lively experienced slightly more than a bruise but appears ready to take this turn in Cleveland’s rotation.
“I was trying to test it all we could and (discomfort) just started shooting all up and down my leg,” Lively said. “Played the smart game (by leaving Tuesday’s game).”
In two starts prior to that outing, the 32-year-old right-hander allowed 10 runs and 16 hits in 8 1/3 innings. Lively, who looked solid to begin Tuesday’s start, will try to help the Guardians salvage a split after the team totaled three runs in losing the first two of this four-game set.
On July 14, Lively allowed homers to the Rays’ Brandon Lowe and Jose Siri, plus a third hit, while also walking two and striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings of the Guardians’ 2-0 loss at Tampa Bay. That was of two career appearances against the Rays for Lively, who is 0-1 with an ERA of 4.82 when opposing Tampa Bay.
On Saturday, Cleveland’s Josh Naylor’s two-RBI single highlighted a three-run sixth inning. Meanwhile, Lane Thomas homered for one of his two hits and threw a runner out at the plate to help the Guardians (85-64) get back on track.
“We’re going to do what we do every day — show up ready to play and go out and give it our best,” Vogt said.
Thomas is batting .367 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 13 games this month. He’s 0-for-3, though, against scheduled Tampa Bay starter Taj Bradley (6-10, 4.40), who was stellar against the Guardians on July 12.
In seven innings of work, Bradley allowed five hits and two walks, but no runs, and stuck out eight during the Rays’ 2-0 victory.
However, the right-hander is 0-6 with an 8.27 ERA in eight starts since recording his most recent victory on July 25 at Toronto. Bradley has also yielded 10 home runs in his past six starts, including two that resulted in three of the four runs (one unearned) he allowed over six innings of Tuesday’s 9-4 loss at Philadelphia.
Seemingly set to miss the postseason for the first time 2018, the Rays (73-76) can still split a 10-game road stretch.
“It’s a general theme throughout the clubhouse of all of us trying to stay locked in,” Rays pitcher Zack Littell said. “We’re all still kind of playing (like we’re) not out of it.”
Tampa Bay infielder Junior Caminero had three doubles Saturday for his second three-hit game of the trip.
–Field Level Media