CHICAGO – The Guardians are one win away from moving on to the American League Championship Series. How do they successfully record those final 27 outs? That might be a bit tricky after Parker Messick’s outing on Thursday night.
In an ideal situation, Messick would have delivered a gem against the White Sox in Game 4 of the AL Division Series to prevent Cleveland from elimination, setting up a winner-take-all Game 5 back home at Progressive Field on Saturday night with co-ace Gavin Williams lined up to take the mound.
Well, the Guardians are still very much alive, thanks in large part to a vintage “Guards Ball” performance by the offense in a six-run sixth to key a 9-5 victory over Chicago at Rate Field. But the critical win to keep their season alive came at a cost.
Messick brought his strikeout stuff, much like he did in Cleveland’s Game 1 loss, by punching out five of his first 10 batters faced in 4 1/3 innings. This time, though, he was pulled even earlier than in Game 1, removed with one out in the third after a bases-loaded walk to Munetaka Murakami – his fourth of the night, which tied a career high – dug the Guardians an early one-run deficit.
“Obviously, the script tonight got ripped up in the third,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “When you have to go to the bullpen early, you have to get creative in a win or go home.”
Due to Messick’s early exit, the Guardians had to utilize seven relievers. That group included All-Star closer Cade Smith, who inherited a five-run lead to begin the eighth inning and was tasked with trying to record the final six outs. For the first time all series, Smith looked human. After a scoreless eighth, he was pulled in the ninth following a leadoff homer by Miguel Vargas and a walk issued to Murakami.
Replacing Smith was Williams, who was making his first relief appearance at any level as a professional. Before that, his previous bullpen experience came in 2021 while in college at East Carolina.
Williams got the job done by recording the final three outs, though it is certainly less than optimal to have the pitcher you plan to start a crucial Game 5 throw 18 pitches in high leverage just 48 hours before.
“We knew Gavin was available for one,” Vogt said. “Obviously, we didn't want to have to do that. But in that [eighth inning] with Colson Montgomery, it was a great [10-pitch] at-bat off Cade, pushing the pitch count up. It was time to go get Gavin.”
Messick will hope for a chance to write a better ending to what has been a sensational rookie campaign that will earn him strong AL Rookie of the Year consideration and perhaps even some Cy Young love. For a second straight start in this series, his pitch count inflated early. On Thursday, lack of command was evident, which could be a product of fatigue after he racked up 186 1/3 innings during the regular season, by far his largest workload in one season.
“With Parker, the command was not sharp tonight,” Vogt said. “I think the walks were very uncharacteristic of our pitching staff as a whole. But for Parker, in that moment, we didn't know what [the White Sox] were going to do beyond [Erick] Fedde. … So it just felt like we needed to stop the game right [there in the third].”
The Guardians will likely take an all-hands-on-deck approach to Game 5 when it comes to pitching. While Cleveland did go through seven relievers in Game 4, none threw more than 20 pitches outside of Smith. That means Vogt will likely have a full bullpen available for whatever scenario presents itself.
“I don't feel like we've really overextended too many bullpen guys,” Vogt said. “Cade is a warrior, and he steps up for these guys every night, and I know he'll be ready to go on Saturday. It's always a concern. You're always concerned with workload this time of year. But we ask a lot of these guys, and they step up.”