The Cleveland Guardians’ rotation had its first implosion of the season, as trade acquisition Luis L. Ortiz allowed seven runs and couldn’t get out of the fifth inning in a 7-2 loss against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Monday night.
The Padres are off to a 5-0 start in the young season.
Cleveland, on the other hand, is now 2-2, still trying to find the perfect balance between starting pitching, offense, and bullpen performance.
Ortiz made it through the first inning unscathed, but things started to unravel in the second when he surrendered four runs.
He settled down somewhat and tossed scoreless frames in the third and fourth before conceding three more runs in the fifth.
At that point, maybe a bit late, manager Stephen Vogt pulled him out.
In total, Ortiz allowed seven runs in 4.2 innings, with nine hits and four walks.
Luis Ortiz' first start with the #Guardians comes to an end.
4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 2 K
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) April 1, 2025
That’s 13 baserunners in less than five innings, for those keeping score at home.
He struck out just two and has a lot of work to do before Vogt and fans can fully trust him.
The highlight of the day for the Guardians was Jose Ramirez’s home run in his first at-bat after missing a couple of days with a sprained right wrist.
Obviously, the wrist did not bother him when he sent a Kyle Hart pitch to the left-field stands to give Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the first before Ortiz’s collapse.
J-Ram went 3-for-4 and showed no ill effects from his injury.
Catcher Austin Hedges also went yard, and the bullpen tossed 3.1 scoreless frames with Jakob Junis and Triston McKenzie starring in long relief roles.
The two teams will do it again on Tuesday, with Logan Allen facing Michael King.
NEXT: Former Guardians Infielder Is Red-Hot To Open The Season With Toronto
