Meeting for the second time this season, the Cleveland Guardians and visiting Kansas City Royals both enter Friday’s series opener as confident clubs.
Cleveland, which took two of three in Kansas City to begin the season, is coming off a three-game sweep of the lowly Chicago White Sox to climb back to .500.
After allowing 22 runs over three games against the Los Angeles Angels, the Guardians’ pitching staff surrendered only three in their three-game sweep of Chicago.
In a complete effort on Thursday afternoon, Cleveland posted a 6-1 victory, as Gavin Williams threw five strong innings and Steven Kwan recorded four hits — including a two-run homer — and four RBIs, as the club looks to keep the momentum rolling into the weekend.
“We have a really good offense,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “I love our hitters and I trust them. We’re right where we need to be. … This team is resilient and this team is tough. They care about each other a lot and they go out and play hard.”
Kwan’s .356 batting average and 16 hits lead the team, while Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo (who also launched a homer on Thursday) pace Cleveland with four home runs apiece.
On the mound Friday, Tanner Bibee (1-1, 6.52 ERA) gets the start, aiming to bounce back from a loss to the Angels on April 5. Bibee allowed seven earned runs in four innings, as the Guardians fell 10-4.
The 26-year-old right-hander signed a five-year, $48 million extension in March after posting a 3.47 ERA in 31 starts a season ago. In six career starts against Kansas City, Bibee is 3-0 with a 3.03 ERA, including 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a 6-2 win against the Royals on March 30.
Kansas City enters with four victories in the last five games, winning consecutive series against the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins.
Newcomer Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. each drove in seventh-inning runs on Thursday to propel the Royals to a 4-3 win. India, who’s batting .234 with Kansas City since being traded from Cincinnati in November, had his first signature moment with the club, ending a 10-pitch at bat with a game-tying single.
“His at-bats are really good,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of India. “I know he hasn’t had the results he’s been looking for, but he sees the ball really well. To be able to come through in that spot is big for him and his confidence.”
Coming off a spectacular 2024 campaign, Witt leads Kansas City with 14 hits.
Hoping to continue the Royals’ hot stretch, Kris Bubic (2-0, 0.00 ERA) looks to prolong his dominant start to the season. Bubic has gone 12 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, while totaling 16 strikeouts and three walks. Bubic has faced Cleveland eight times (three starts) over his career, posting a 1-2 record and a 5.89 ERA. The 27-year-old lefty has shut out both Baltimore and Minnesota this year.
–Field Level Media
