News and Notes: Four Home Runs Pace Guardians Win
News and Notes for Sunday, June 23rd, 2024
The Cleveland Guardians secured another series win before another sellout crowd Saturday afternoon with a 6-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Guardians got an early two-run homer from Bo Naylor who looks to be finding his footing at the plate after a very slow start.
Nobody:
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) June 22, 2024
Bo Naylor: Let me drive the boat! #ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/cjSQsxsCqq
Ben Lively had a very typical Lively outing, going 5 and 2/3rds and giving up a home run in the first to Davis Schneider and a home run in the third to Isaiah Kiner-Falefa. Kiner-Falefa somehow ended up with a two-homer game by connecting off Scott Barlow. I’m not going to look it up, but IKF cannot have homered twice in a game before. I won’t believe it. But, that’s baseball. Lively hit a batter and walked a batter in the sixth, but otherwise, I’d say his line was good as usual. The Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Emmanuel Clase triumvirate were as dominant as always.
Jose Ramirez hit another home run, putting himself still on pace for 40 for this year. And how amazing that would be. This series contrasted with the Guardians’ recent trip to Toronto is certainly a great reminder of how important Jose is to this team.
Steven Kwan hit another home run, and, folks, it’s time to pay attention to the kind of offensive season he is putting up because he’s in MVP territory, currently. Turns out he/his agent was right to feel he could do better than the preseason extension offer in March-April 2023 the Guardians’ gave him that was leaked.
Steven Kwan's home runs by year:
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) June 22, 2024
2022: 6 HR in 638 plate appearances
2023: 5 HR in 718 plate appearances
2024: 6 HR in 216 plate appearances
He's batting .392 with a 1.018 OPS, which ranks behind only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, two other slugging behemoths.
Daniel Schneemann also showed off his impressive bat speed homering off a lefty. The man needs to play everyday until he proves otherwise:
Schneeeee x2!
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) June 22, 2024
It's a home run party for the good guys!#ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/LjD1kYcFp6
FanGraphs has a brief interview with Schneemann up today, talking about his swing changes and body changes leading to his breakout.
Shaquille O’Neil did a DJ set after the game which looked incredibly sweaty but fun
There were 29 other ballparks that didn't have @djdiesel postgame today. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/3KENk1JlUK
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 23, 2024
JJ Wetherholt had a nice interview on the Baseball Bar-B-Cast for folks looking to get to know one of the names being rumored as under consideration for the number one pick.
Around MLB:
The Tigers lost to the White Sox.
The Rangers shutout the Royals.