Guardians Baseball Insider

Lake County split a tough played series with Fort Wayne last week, a team with plenty of talent that has played them close in a lot of games so far this year. They faced Ethan Elliot again and former top prospect Anderson Espinoza as well. But the Captains got George Valera back, a new arm in their rotation in Xzavion Curry and did suffer some tough days pitching wise. But overall after a tough series with Dayton to kick off the month of June and a longer losing streak, this was a good trip for them.

Day by Day

6/8 3-2 W at Fort Wayne – W: Janzcak (2-0); L: Komar (1-2); S: Enright (2)

6/10 5-4 L at Fort Wayne – W: Loewen (1-1); L: Coulter (2-2)

6/11 8-5 W at Fort Wayne – W: Burns (2-2); L: Mosser (1-3)

6/12 10-2 L at Fort Wayne – W: Komar (2-2); L: Mock (0-1)

6/13 7-6 L at Fort Wayne – W: Smith (1-1); L: Coulter (2-3); S: Loewen (6)

6/15 W 3-2 vs. West Michigan – W: Wisely (1-0); L: Hess (0-2)

Player of the Week

OF Quentin Holmes – 9-18, HR, 3B, 2 RBI, SB

Cleveland’s 2017 2nd round pick is hitting over .400 in the month of June since coming back from an injury and this may be the best stretch of baseball Holmes has ever played in the pros. He’s showing patience at the plate and hitting the ball to all fields. Being on the field was important enough for him this year, but this performance certainly is a nice step considering where he’s been.

Who’s Hot

OF George Valera – 3-10,  HR, RBI, 3BB/2K, SB

Valera has played four games in June returning from his oblique injury and is hitting .300/.500/.600 since and his at bats have looked good. He’s not chasing down in the dirt, hit a homer his first game back, even stole a base and continues to run well in left field. Valera said he thought he was going to be out a lot longer than he was and is glad to be back.

SP Xzavion Curry – 5IP, 2H, 2BB, 7K

Curry made his first High-A start and pitched as well as he did in Low-A to start 2021. He threw his fastball high in the zone 91-94 and his curveball down to chase and even showed a good slider with solid command on the night against a tough Fort Wayne lineup. 

RP Nic Enright – 3IP, 5K, 2H 

Enright continues to be a dominant force out of the back end of the Captains bullpen with his 91-94 fastball and good, over the top breaking ball. Pretty soon he’ll need a new challenge. 

Who’s Not

INF Raynel Delgado 1-17, 2BB/7K

Delgado has been known for his contact ability and approach. While seven strikeouts in five games is hardly a lot of a big deal, he’s striking out a bit more than he walks which is kind of surprising for him and he’s locked in a bad June hitting just .094 in 32 at bats.

Coming up:

6/16-6/20 home vs. West Michigan

6/22-6/27 at Great Lakes