KANSAS CITY -- If you scanned the Guardians’ lineup for Sunday’s regular-season finale at Kauffman Stadium, a 3-2 loss, you noticed it did not include a number of usual suspects. After Cleveland clinched the AL Central and a first-round bye in the postseason on Saturday, Game 162 was merely a formality.
Mainstays José Ramírez, Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter and Brayan Rocchio each got the day off. Austin Hedges (the DH on Sunday) took just two at-bats before exiting.
There was, however, one name that you may have been surprised to see on the lineup card: Lefty Parker Messick, who could be the Guardians’ Game 1 starter in the AL Division Series in six days.
Sunday’s game meant nothing to the Guardians, but it meant a lot for Messick.
“It was really important for Parker to get out there and do that,” manager Stephen Vogt said.
The Guardians shuffled their rotation in recent weeks to line up Messick to start Game 162 on normal rest. That way, if they needed a win that would be crucial in the postseason race, they’d have the AL Cy Young and Rookie of the Year Award contender on the mound to pave the way.
Cleveland could have stayed away from Messick after it clinched on Saturday, but he would have faced a long layoff before his first playoff start, when the Guardians obviously will need him in peak form. Before Sunday, Messick’s most recent start was on Tuesday against the Red Sox.
If he doesn’t pitch Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday (Gavin Williams is another candidate), Messick assuredly will pitch Game 2 on Monday. At that point he would have had 10 or 12 days between outings.
“It’s checking your boxes, basically,” Messick said of Sunday’s start. “I had to make sure I'm feeling the mound, make sure everything feels right coming out of the hand and make sure we're where we want to be going into the DS.”
So there was Messick on Sunday, getting one final tuneup that amounted to more than a bullpen session but less than a normal workload. The 25-year-old faced 16 hitters and threw 64 pitches (42 strikes) over three innings, in which he allowed one run on six hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
It wasn’t his sharpest outing, but he extended his streak to 15 straight starts allowing three or fewer runs.
The Guardians haven’t finalized their ALDS rotation plans. Those conversations figure to follow Monday’s off-day, given they have a workout at Progressive Field on Tuesday and workouts with simulated game action on Wednesday and Thursday.
Messick will soon know the plan. It would be a surprise if he’s not helping anchor the ALDS rotation, as the lefty just had one of the better rookie seasons by a Cleveland pitcher in recent memory.
Messick finished the regular season with a 2.56 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 193 strikeouts and 49 walks in 186 1/3 innings over 32 starts. His ERA is the lowest by a qualified Cleveland lefty starter since Cliff Lee (2.54 in 223 1/3 innings) in his AL Cy Young Award-winning 2008 season.
Messick’s ERA also is the lowest by a qualified Cleveland rookie lefty starter since Gene Bearden in 1948 (2.43 in 229 2/3 innings). His 191 strikeouts trail only Herb Score (245 in 1955) among rookies in a single season in franchise history.
“He should be a finalist for the Cy Young,” Vogt said. “The way he threw the ball, it was just so impressive to do what he did in his first full season. The consistency, giving us a chance to win, the punchouts, the lack of runs that he gave up.
“It was one of the best performances I've seen from a pitcher in person over the course of 162.”
It’s entertaining to think how Messick’s year went. He had to earn a spot in the rotation during Spring Training. Fast forward to Saturday, and he was in the clubhouse celebrating a division title Cleveland likely doesn’t win without him.
Messick made seven starts down the stretch last season after his MLB debut. He was not on the roster for the Wild Card Series, instead merely a spectator in the raucous environment of Progressive Field.
He’s ready to be at the center of it this season.
“I hope everyone shows up,” Messick said. “I know it's going to be good. I got to sit there in the Wild Card last year and experience it. I know how they're going to be. I'm excited to be a part of it this year.”