The Cleveland Guardians had high hopes and expectations when they traded for Luis L. Ortiz.
The former Pittsburgh Pirates young man wasn’t at his best during Spring Training, but it seems like he’s finally finding his groove.
He had a strong outing in his first home start, helping the team get a 6-3 win over the Kansas City Royals.
The 26-year-old hurler struck out a career-high ten hitters in 5.2 frames, allowing just one hit (a solo homer) and two walks.
Following the game, manager Stephen Vogt showered him with praise:
“The way he commanded the baseball today had all the pitches going. Bo (Naylor) called an excellent game for him today,” Vogt said. “Hard work pays off. Luis has been working extremely hard to find that consistency that we know, and he knows, he has. We talked about it from the beginning of Spring Training. The sky is the limit for Luis.”
The right-hander showcased the best of his five-pitch repertoire, and he was in control from start to finish.
Command could continue to be an issue, but his velocity and power are remarkable, and once he’s in the zone, he’s very hard to hit.
Of course, the team would want to see him go a little deeper into the game at some point, but he looked as sharp in his 100th and final throw of the evening as he did in the first inning, striking out Bobby Witt Jr. with a 96 mph four-seamer.
It’s been an up-and-down start to the season for the Guardians, with even Emmanuel Clase struggling to be at his best.
They were very high on Ortiz, and getting a glimpse of what he’s capable of will most definitely be a big motivational boost.
If he continues to play this way, he will be a mainstay in the rotation even when Shane Bieber returns to the mound.
NEXT: Luis Ortiz Set A New Career High On Saturday
