Martínez's grand slam punctuates big game by Guards' offense

CLEVELAND -- In a challenging 2025 offensively, the Guardians tallied their season-high in hits (16) on Sept. 8, in their 143rd contest of the regular season. It took Cleveland until only its 13th game this season to match that mark, both of which came at the expense of the Royals.

The Guardians had a big performance in a 10-2 win over the Royals at Progressive Field on Wednesday. Every position player who took a plate appearance reached base, and they collectively had eight extra-base hits. That included Angel Martínez, who went 4-for-5 and hit a grand slam in the eighth inning.

Each of the other extra-base hits were doubles, three of which came off the bat of Rhys Hoskins.

“It was nice to sweat out there,” Hoskins quipped of the cold weather that infiltrated Northeast Ohio this week and made for challenging playing conditions during the three-game series.

The Guardians got an early jump on the Royals, who dealt with some unfortunate circumstances. Starter Cole Ragans was forced to exit in the first inning with a thumb injury after he took a José Ramírez comebacker off his throwing hand.

Ragans struck out Steven Kwan and Martínez to begin his outing. The lefty initially stayed in the game after Ramírez’s single, following an examination by Kansas City’s medical staff. But David Fry then drew a four-pitch walk against Ragans and Chase DeLauter ended his day by hitting a two-run double that deflected high off Progressive Field’s 19-foot wall in left field.

Hoskins then drove in DeLauter with an RBI double into the left-field corner off right-hander Luinder Avila. Hoskins later became the first Cleveland first baseman to hit three doubles in a game since Ben Broussard on Sept. 24, 2005, which coincidentally was also against Kansas City.

Hoskins hit a double in the third and the fifth. The latter deflected high off the left-field wall, had a 106.6 mph exit velocity and would have been a home run in six ballparks, according to Statcast.

“I thought I had a chance [at a homer], but I got introduced to the wall pretty quickly,” said Hoskins of what was nearly his first home run in a Guardians uniform. “I told a couple guys, ‘Nobody ever got in trouble for hitting doubles.’ So double, homer, as long as I'm not out, I don't really care.”

Five of Hoskins’ first seven hits with the Guardians have gone for two bases. He also has six walks compared to 12 strikeouts, and an .838 OPS in 33 plate appearances through nine games. He has thus far been a quality veteran presence in the middle of Cleveland’s order, as anticipated.

“Rhys is a professional hitter,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “The patience, the lack of chase, the ability to think, along with pitchers, and the ability to go through the Rolodex of what he sees [stands out]. A lot of those at-bats, he's ready to go and swings at the right pitches. Just having him in the middle of the order really makes the lineup longer.”

Just as impressive was Martínez’s day. He singled twice off Avila and hit a double off Alex Lange, both of whom are right-handers. The switch-hitting Martínez has been working to improve from the left side of the plate, including over the offseason.

Martínez hit .197 with a .545 OPS against right-handers in 2025. He is 6-for-18 (.333) against them so far in ‘26.

“This game, especially at this level, it’s a lot mental,” Martínez said. “I’m not just working on my mechanics and rhythm. Keeping that mental side too on the highest level has been really good for me."

Kwan (who went 1-for-4 on Wednesday) is the Guardians’ table setter, and Ramírez (who went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk) will always drive them offensively. But the more guys who contribute, the better. That’s what the Guardians need much more of this season compared to last.

Martínez’s big afternoon out of the second spot was good to see, as was Juan Brito logging his second multi-hit game in as many big league appearances. The young guys are getting some runway this year to help.

“These guys bring energy every day,” Hoskins said of the Guardians’ young talent. “It’s easy to have energy early in the year. Everyone's excited to be back and playing together again, but that's something that I'm sure we're going to lean on as we get into the summer.

“We talk a lot about veteran leadership and what we can do for some of these young guys in sharing our experience. But they do a lot for us, and they don't even know it.”