Curry saves 'pen again with long outing vs. Yankees

CLEVELAND -- Because of Xzavion Curry, the Guardians’ pitching staff may be able to weather the series finale against the Yankees.

Cleveland was dealt a tough hand. Despite jumping out to a two-run read in the first inning on Tuesday, Guardians starter Hunter Gaddis permitted eight runs in the next two frames, leading to an 11-2 loss to the Yankees at Progressive Field.

The Guardians’ bullpen had already thrown the second-most innings in the Majors entering Tuesday’s contest (44 2/3, behind the Mariners’ 45 2/3). It would’ve been a tall enough task to simply ask the relief corps to add another six frames to that total, but on the eve of a young hurler planning to make his Major League debut, this could have been disastrous.

Curry gave Cleveland a chance.

“He saved our bullpen,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said, “because we didn’t have to go to Eli [Morgan]. We stayed away from everybody.”

Peyton Battenfield was named Wednesday’s starter, replacing Aaron Civale, who went on the injured list on Monday with a left oblique strain. In 28 starts for Triple-A Columbus last season, Battenfield owned a 3.63 ERA with 109 strikeouts and 57 walks. He pitched five innings for the Guardians in Spring Training and gave up two runs (one earned) with four strikeouts and three walks. Since then, he’s made one start for Columbus, giving up three runs (two earned) in five innings.

There’s no way to project how the 25-year-old righty will handle his Major League debut against the Yankees on Wednesday, but now the Guardians at least know they have depth if the start goes awry.

“With a day off on Thursday and Peyton pitching, we’ll go to our bullpen,” Francona said.

Not only is the bullpen a new role for Curry, but it was also unexpected for him to be used in relief. He was competing for a ‘pen spot at the end of Spring Training, but he lost the job to Gaddis. Curry was optioned to Triple-A to be able to be stretched out as a starter so the Guardians could call on him if an injury to a starter would occur.

But when that injury came sooner than expected, as Triston McKenzie strained his teres major muscle in his final spring start, Gaddis moved to the rotation and Curry was quickly rerouted back to big league camp to settle into the bullpen.

“I’m learning that I can be a versatile type of pitcher,” Curry said. “The bullpen role is not something that I’m scared of. It’s just more of embracing the role and going out there and helping the team whenever my number is called.”

Curry has helped his team multiple times already. In Oakland, he ate five innings after Zach Plesac was knocked out after one inning (plus a few batters) in what became a 10-inning victory. This time, he went another four frames to make sure most of the bullpen was spared.

“I feel like I’ve just been able to come in here and eat up some innings,” Curry said. “You know, save some of those guys’ arms in the bullpen for their specific roles and just be able to help the team get through the game.”

Not only has Curry eaten up innings, he’s seeing that he can handle this job. He may have given up three runs on Tuesday, but in facing one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, he realized that his stuff can play.

“It’s really encouraging to be able to go through that lineup and get some bad swings, get some soft contact, get some strikeouts,” Curry said. “It really does boost the confidence to be able to go through that good of a lineup and hold my own.”

Curry has already learned a lot about himself in just three relief appearances with the Guardians this season. He’s allowing each outing to boost his confidence. And his most recent efforts may have just put his team in a better position for the series finale.

“Hopefully, I’m sitting here tomorrow after a win,” Francona said. “[Curry will] be a part of that.”