Their one run allowed is the fewest combined runs allowed by rookie starting pitchers in three consecutive games in franchise history, breaking a record set by Bibee, Allen and Xzavion Curry earlier this year.
On a more depressing note, it was just the third time in franchise history the team won just one game in a three-game span in which its starting pitchers allowed one or fewer runs. The other instances:
In consecutive games against the Blue Jays, Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee tossed seven shutout innings.
LopezMutis
It’s the first time rookie starters pitched at least seven scoreless innings in consecutive games since Jeff Mutis and Albie Lopez in 1993 against the California Angels.
Mutis tossed a complete-game four-hit shutout, while Lopez tossed seven scoreless before giving way to the bullpen.
Here’s the full list of rookie starters to toss 7+ shutout innings in consecutive games, with their combined strikeouts in parentheses:
The 18 combined strikeouts by Williams and Bibee are also tied for the second most by rookie starters pitching in consecutive games. Here’s the leaderboard:
Abreu and Perez’s streaks overlapped, as Abreu made his debut in relief Perez in his third game (July 7, 2009) and they combined to give up six runs in one inning of work against the White Sox.
Of this group, only Quantrill helped the team to the playoffs, although it was the modified version in 2020 and Quantrill was moved to the bullpen for the playoffs.
The last time Cleveland acquired a starting pitcher at the deadline and made the postseason in a full season was 1997, when they trade for John Smiley (from Cincinnati) and Jeff Juden (from Montreal). Smiley suffered a career-ending injury and didn’t pitch in the postseason, while Juden was moved to the pen.
Hill
The last midseason trade acquisition to actually start a playoff game for Cleveland was Ken Hill in 1995. Hill was acquired at the deadline from the Cardinals for David Bell and two other minor leaguers.
Hill pitched 13.2 consecutive scoreless to open the ’95 postseason, including seven shutout innings in a critical Game 4 of the ’95 ALCS while Cleveland training 2-1 in the series. He allowed his first run in the 6th inning of Game 4 of the ’95 World Series on a home run to Ryan Klesko, and ultimately took the loss in the game. He finished the ’95 postseason with a 2-1 record and a 1.84 ERA.
Touki Toussaint held the Guardians scoreless for five innings as the White Sox shut out Cleveland 3-0 on Friday night.
Toussaint, making his fourth start for the White Sox, became the first pitcher to start a game for and against Cleveland in the same season since Carl Pavano in 2009.
Toussaint made one start for Cleveland in June against Arizona.
In 2009, Pavano went 9-8 with a 5.37 ERA in 21 starts for the Indians before an August trade sent him to Minnesota. He then made two starts against Cleveland in September, with the teams splitting the games.
