How to make up after new pal homers off you? 'He owes me a fishing trip'

CLEVELAND -- During his first trip to the MLB All-Star Game this summer, Guardians lefty Parker Messick got to talking with Riley Greene, the star Tigers outfielder. While they are American League Central rivals on the field, the two realized they share some stuff in common off of it.

Messick and Greene are both Florida natives who remain residents. (Messick lives in Plant City, and Greene lives in Oviedo.) Both love to fish. As they got to know each other at the Midsummer Classic, they laid the initial groundwork for a future fishing trip.

That first one may have to fall on Greene’s tab, though.

The Guardians lost, 6-0, to the Tigers at Progressive Field on Saturday, when Messick delivered a quality start but struggled to contain Greene. The Tigers outfielder went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs, an RBI single and four RBIs, three of which came off Messick.

“I think he owes me a fishing trip that we've been talking about the last few times I've seen him after tonight,” Messick quipped.

The Guardians (72-71) are tied with the Blue Jays for the final American League Wild Card spot, but Toronto holds the tiebreaker. Cleveland is 2 1/2 games behind the AL Central-leading White Sox (74-68), who lost, 6-4, to the Twins on Saturday.

Part of why Messick was named an All-Star this season is he has shown a propensity for striking batters out. On Saturday, he had a career-high 12 over six innings, while holding the Tigers to three runs on seven hits and two walks while throwing 103 pitches.

Messick’s 173 strikeouts this season are the second most by a rookie in Cleveland franchise history. He trails only Herb Score (245 in 1955) after eclipsing CC Sabathia (171 in 2001). The AL Rookie of the Year and AL Cy Young Award candidate also has a 2.53 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP over 28 starts this season.

“It’s an incredible honor,” Messick said of the strikeouts. “There's been a bunch of really talented arms that have been able to pitch for Cleveland. Just to put me in that company, it's an incredible honor. I'm super blessed. I’m just gonna try to keep getting better.”

Typically, Messick’s final line would be enough for the Guardians to win. But they got shut out, and Greene single-handedly was responsible for Messick surrendering his most runs in over two months.

Messick entered Saturday having allowed two or fewer runs in 10 straight starts, which was the second-longest streak in a single season in franchise history. Only Gaylord Perry’s 11-start streak in 1974 was longer.

Greene opened the scoring with a solo home run over the 19-foot left-field wall in the first inning. Messick threw a low slider over the middle of the plate. Greene went deep over that same wall again in the fifth, off a four-seam fastball in the heart of the zone.

“He's a great hitter, and he's a huge part of their lineup. I'm sure they're happy to have him back,” Messick said of Greene, who returned from a three-week absence due to a right hamstring strain on Monday.

“I threw some balls that are kind of in his hot zone. To go backside to left-center field is just a really good swing. I could throw those balls there to a lot of other lefties and don't get that same result. Hats off to him.”

It’s not easy for a left-handed hitter to go deep to that part of Progressive Field. Greene doing so was impressive, certainly considering Messick had yielded just four home runs to left-handed hitters through his first 34 career starts (14 to righties).

And yet, it still was a strong performance by the lefty who has given the Guardians a long line of them this season. Messick struck out every Tigers hitter minus Greene and shortstop John Peck to reach his new career high.

The Guardians’ offense had a quiet night after their dramatic doubleheader sweep of the Tigers on Friday. Tigers starter Framber Valdez threw seven scoreless innings and allowed just three hits and one walk. That effort was the story of Saturday.

Messick’s outing won’t stand out as his best, but it’s part of the overall body of work that has defined his rookie campaign.

“Parker's in the Rookie of the Year [Award race], and he should be in the Cy Young too,” Vogt said pregame. “The way he's pitched, he's been one of the best pitchers in the American League, one of the best pitchers in baseball. It's the consistency.

“Every pitcher that pitches in the big leagues has good stuff. They've got the ability to go out and perform, but it's at the consistent rate that he's done it. He's given us a chance to win.”