Foster Griffin picked up his first win in a Cleveland uniform on Wednesday, and afterward, the left-hander offered a grounded perspective on what the victory could mean for a Guardians team that has spent weeks searching for stability. Griffin worked five solid innings against the Tigers, allowing three runs, only one of which was earned, on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts, backing an offense that finally provided the timely hitting that had been missing for much of the recent stretch.
Griffin addressed the bigger picture afterward, viewing the win within the context of a long season rather than treating it as a cure-all.
“In a 162-game season, every team is going to go through their ebbs and flows,” Griffin said. “So hopefully tonight’s the start of an upward trend for us. I think the vibes are still really good in the clubhouse.”
Griffin explained that he hopes Wednesday marks the beginning of an upward turn for a club that has endured a difficult run since the trade deadline. Despite the results not yet reflecting it, Griffin was clear that the mood inside the clubhouse remains strong, a sentiment that lines up with the belief manager Stephen Vogt has repeated throughout the recent skid. Griffin was candid about his own hiccup in the outing as well, taking ownership of a third-inning solo homer allowed to Gleyber Torres, calling it simply bad execution on a sweeper that did not finish where he and catcher Austin Hedges intended.
The win capped a night where all three of Cleveland’s headline deadline additions played a role in the outcome. Jo Adell delivered the go-ahead blow with a two-run homer off Framber Valdez, while Nathaniel Lowe made a difficult scoop at first base to secure the final out of Cade Smith’s four-out save. Lowe acknowledged afterward that his own record with the club had not been what he hoped, making the contribution to a win feel especially meaningful as the newcomers continue searching for their footing together.
Even with the win, Cleveland remains in a difficult spot, sitting fourth in the American League Central, four games behind the division-leading White Sox and a game and a half back of the final Wild Card position.
NEXT: Guardians Get Much-Needed Win, Tie Series In Detroit
