Cleveland Baseball History

Dominating The Defending Champs

April 2, 2026

The Guardians topped the Dodgers 4-1 last night behind seven shutout innings and 10 strikeouts from Gavin Williams.

Over the last 50 seasons, only three other Cleveland pitchers have tossed at least seven shutout innings with 10 or more Ks against the defending champs:

2014 Justin Masterson vs BOS
2006 CC Sabathia vs CHW
2000 Bartolo Colon vs NYY

Colon’s one-hut shutout against the Yankees is the team’s last complete game shutout against the defending champs

Others with a complete game shutout of the title defenders in the last 50 years:

1994 Dennis Martinez vs TOR
1992 Charles Nagy vs MIN
1990 Bud Black vs OAK
1988 Greg Swindell vs MIN
1986 Tom Candiotti vs KCR
1978 Rick Wise vs NYY

Messick Through 8 Starts

March 31, 2026

In his first start of the year, Parker Messick tossed six scoreless against the Dodgers.

It was the fifth time in his eight career starts that Messick has gone at least six innings while allowing one or fewer runs, tying an MLB record.

He’s 16th player in MLB history to accomplish the feat, though it’s becoming more common for young pitchers to dominate (and get pulled after no more than six innings) that it’s slightly less historic than it sounds.

Here are the most recent pitchers prior to Messick:

2025 – Noah Cameron, KC
2024 – Paul Skenes, PIT
2023 – Bryce Miller, SEA
2017 – Jake Faria, TB
2015 – Eduardo Rodriguez

The previous franchise record was four games by Vean Gregg, Gene Bearden and Cody Anderson.

The six scoreless innings brought Messick’s career ERA to 2.36.

Among Cleveland pitchers with at least 40 innings pitched through eight career games, that’s the third lowest ERA over the last 100 seasons:

Bearden, 1.81
Aaron Civale, 1.93
Messick, 2.36
Hal Woodeshick, 2.39
Danny Salazar, 2.66
Luis Tiant, 2.72

Manzardo 10 K Through 4 Games

March 30, 2026

Through the Guardians first four games in Seattle, Kyle Manzardo went 2-16 with 10 strikeouts, setting a franchise record for the most strikeouts through four games.

He’s just the 10th player in MLB history with double-digit strikeouts through his team’s first four games — a list which includes Cal Raleigh who matched Manzardo’s strikeout total in the same series.

The MLB record is 12 by Rafael Devers last year in Boston.

The previous team record was eight, shared by:

2016 Rajai Davis
2013 Drew Stubbs
2011 Shin-Soo Choo
2010 Choo
1992 Mark Whiten

DeLauter HR Streak Reaches Three Games

March 29, 2026

We had to wait until the 10th inning this time, but Chase DeLauter did it again.

DeLauter, who had homered in the first inning in each of his first two games, hit his fourth home run in three games in the 10th inning off Seattle closer Andrés Muñoz.

He is just the second player in MLB history with four homers through three career games, joining Colorado’s Trevor Story (2016).

Story, DeLauter and Seattle’s Kyle Lewis (2019) are the only players to homer in each of their first three career games.

If DeLauter homers again, he’ll tie Story for the MLB record with a four-game home run streak to begin a career.

DeLauter is also tied with Jorge Soler (2014 Cubs) for the MLB record in total bases through four games with 17.

To add to the impressive nature of the streak, three of DeLauter’s homers have come against Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Muñoz — none of whom are easy to take deep.

Muñoz only gave up two homers in 2025.

DeLauter’s four homers through three games also doubles the franchise record of two, previously shared by:

DeLauter 3 HR Through 2 Games

March 28, 2026

He did it again.

Chase DeLauter‘s first-inning home run off Seattle’s George Kirby was his third through two games — the first two regular-season contests of his career.

He’s just the third player in MLB history with three home runs through his first two regular season games, joining:

2016 Trevor Story, Rockies
1954 Joe Cunningham, Cardinals

DeLauter is also the first player in franchise history with three home runs through the team’s first two games of the season.

Only 15 players had previously hit two home runs through the first two games, most recently Grady Sizemore in 2007.

DeLauter’s 13 total bases through the team’s first two games is also a franchise record, breaking the mark of 12 previously shared by Sandy Alomar Jr. (1998), Al Smith (1955) and Dale Mitchell (1950).

It’s also the franchise record for the most total bases through two career games, breaking the record of 10 held by Manny Ramirez (1993), Jim Norris (1977), Roy Weatherly (1936) and Earl Averill (1929).

The only player in MLB history with more total bases through two games was Cincinnati’s Rece Hinds in 2024. DeLauter is one of just four with 13 or more and only 38 have reached double-digits.

Rhys Hoskins’ Cleveland Debut

March 27, 2026

In his debut with the Guardians, Rhys Hoskins went 3-3 with a walk on Opening Day in Seattle.

He’s first player to reach base at least four times without recording an out in his Cleveland Debut since Boog Powell went 3-3 with a walk and a home run on Opening Day in 1975.

And just like Hoskins’ debut was overshadowed by Chase DeLauter, Powell’s was overshadowed by Frank Robinson.

Tanner Bibee’s Season Debut

March 27, 2026

In the bottom of the first inning on Opening Day, Seattle leadoff hitter Brendan Donovan got things started with a home run off Tanner Bibee.

It’s just the second time in franchise history Cleveland’s Opening Day starter has allowed a home run to the first batter of the season.

In 1932, Detroit’s Roy Johnson led off the bottom off the first with a solo shot off Wes Ferrell. Cleveland would end up winning the game in 11 innings.

Chase DeLauter’s “Debut”

March 27, 2026

Although he made his MLB debut in the postseason last year, Chase DeLauter had never appeared in a regular season contest until Opening Day in Seattle.

So his two homer game against the Mariners is the sixth in MLB history in a player’s first regular season appearance:

2016 Trevor Story, Rockies
2010 J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays
1999 Mark Quinn, Royals
1964 Bert Campaneris, Athletics
1951 Bob Nieman, Browns

Story is the only other to do so on Opening Day. Nieman later played for Cleveland, hitting just two homers in 41 games in 1961 and 1962.

DeLauter also become just the fourth player in franchise history with two homers on Opening Day, joining this list:

DeLauter is also the 17th youngest player in MLB history with two homers on Opening Day (24 years, 170 days).

Tyler Soderstrom of the A’s (23 years, 123 days) was the last to do so at a younger age, last year. The youngest is Bryce Harper (20 years, 167 days).

Dom Nunez scores two runs in two games

November 10, 2025

Backup catcher Dom Nunez scored two runs in his two games played in 2025.

He’s the 10th player in team history to play in multiple games and finish the season with at least as many runs scored as games played.

The last to do so was Brian Giles in 1995, when he scored six runs in six games.

Joey Cantillo’s Strikeouts

October 9, 2025

Although Joey Cantillo made nine starts a season ago, he maintained his rookie status in 2025 and posted some impressive numbers.

Cantillo became just the third rookie in franchise history (minimum 10 starts) to post a K-per-9 rate above 10.

Most strikeouts by nine innings by Cleveland rookies (min. 10 starts)

2013 Danny Salazar, 11.3
2021 Triston McKenzie, 10.2
2025 Cantillo, 10.2
1955 Herb Score, 9.7
2018 Shane Bieber, 9.3

Of course Score’s number is truly the most impressive on the list given the era in which he pitched.

Of the 18 Cleveland rookies with at least 7.5 K per 9, Score and CC Sabathia (8.5 in 2001) and Sonny Siebert (8.3 in 1964) are the only ones pre-2012.