After winning the series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, the Cleveland Guardians couldn’t get anything going offensively and were shut out on Saturday.
It was an ugly showing that resulted in an 8-0 loss in Philly.
Starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco couldn’t contain Philadelphia’s excellent offense and allowed six runs and two homers without getting out of the fourth inning.
The Guardians hope Sunday’s starter can do a better job.
Who will take the ball on Sunday afternoon? Well, it will be rookie left-hander Joey Cantillo, who was scratched off his Friday start and will be making his MLB debut on the road against arguably the best team in baseball.
“Cantillo will make his MLB debut on Sunday starting against the Phillies,” Guardians Prospective tweeted.
Cantillo will make his MLB-debut on Sunday starting against the Philles. https://t.co/d8blzDzqrW
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 28, 2024
Cantillo is one of the best pitching prospects in the Guardians system.
He is 24 years old and has a solid 2.79 ERA in Triple-A this season, in 29 innings.
Walks are an issue, though: it’s probably the only thing holding him back from mid-rotation upside as Guardians reporter @JL_baseball tweets.
Check out the extension numbers here. 7+.
I wouldn't exactly call Cantillo soft tossing (he's normally 90-94 and can hit 96 sometimes), the FB plays up due to this extension.
There's a solid 3/4 pitch mix. Control is the only thing that holds him back from mid-rotation upside. https://t.co/aG91QZ9amM
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) July 28, 2024
He features nice extension on a low-90s fastball, which makes it more effective.
He also has three additional pitches to help him navigate through lineups.
The problem is that he has handed 19 walks in the 29 frames he has pitched, and his numbers in previous years are similar.
Thankfully, he does strike out people as his 39 Ks can attest.
He could be a solid addition to the Guardians rotation but is slated for a tough debut against a top offensive squad.
NEXT: Guardians Reinstate Star Prospect From Injured List And Back To Double-A
