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Hi everyone, this is Jim Rosenhouse and you are listening to Guardians Weekly. This week, we join you from Camerica Park in Detroit, where the Guardians are taking on the Tigers in a huge series against the first place team and the team of the best record in all of baseball heading into the series the Tigers. But the Guardians
have played well the first two nights. More on that in just a little bit, but coming up a little bit later on in our show, we will hear from pitching coach Carl Willis, starting pitcher Slade Seconi, as well as reliever Hunter Gaddis. But first I look back at the week in review, and it begins on Monday with three innings only in Minnesota. What a rainy week it was in Minneapolis, as the Guardians were there for three days and they may never have seen the sun and
a lot of rain too. The game in Minneapolis on Monday, after three innings was suspended due to heavy rains and wet grounds, with the Twins leading by a score of two to one. All the action on Tuesday, which was supposed to be the completion of the suspended game, and then the regularly scheduled game wiped out all day rain, heavy cold temperature win the whole bit, so they couldn't play until Wednesday, and they finally did get going, completing
the suspended game with rain still falling. They were able to play through it and Minnesota was able to win that first game, completing the suspended game as they wanted in walk off fashion after the Guardians had scored three
times in the ninth to tie it. Minnesota was a six to five winner, so the Guardians were desperate to snap a five game losing skid in the regularly scheduled game in Minnesota on Wednesday, rain still falling, they kept playing and the Twins jumped in front with a run in the third, but otherwise Gavin Williams on the mound was terrific. The two to two called strike three on
the outside corner. Perfect pitch by Williams catches cursey looking fifth strikeout for Gavin Williams and it looks like Williams is settling back in. In the sixth inning, the Guardians offense got it going with Jose Ramirez leading things off with a single, then two walks to the bases for Gabrielarius.
Bases loaded, one down, one nothing, Minnesota sixth inning, payoff pitch and it's outside ball four. We are tied at one. A nine pitch at bantt and Arius with the bases loaded, walk the four sin ramires and tie this game at one.
And then Nolan Jones put the Guardians in front.
The two zero pitch swings and sends one in the air medium deep left center. This will get a run home Cursey, the center fielder, with a catch, He'll throw the third, tagging and scoring Santana and Nolan Jones sack fly to medium deep left center as given Cleveland a two to one lead.
Then Gavin Williams was back out there for the bottom of the sixth. Now the kick and the one two pitch swinging ms what away for Gavin Williams to finish, still throwing ninety five miles an hour here in the sixth inning, gets his sixth strikeout. He is sent down seven in a row, still a two to one game. In the eighth inning, that's when Carlos Santana's big month of May continued.
The pitch swung on, hammeredon, did heap brite? This ball is gone? And it's three to one Cleveland. A line drive home run to right by Carlos Santana. Man does he love hitting in this ballpark? He has hit six home runs now, all left handed, and that's a big one, three to one Cleveland here in ending number eight.
And Cleveland added a little insurance in the top half of the ninth inning on a sack fly from an Hell Martinez to make it four to one. And then Ramirez brought home one more those.
Ramirez two for four fourteen game hitting streak, and he swings and drills a basin in the left center that'll score Kwan and Cleveland getting rid of some frust ration here in the late innings, now leading at five to one, and Emmanuel Class was on in the ninth to help nail down the win.
Now the two to one pitch swung on skid in the air to left, Kwan is under it, and by golly, it's ball game and the Guardians get a split. And there were two games played today despite the elements, and again just a great job by the Twins ground crew.
To make that.
Happen the final here Cleveland five and Minnesota one. So a huge win for the Guardians in that great outing from Gavin Williams and plenty of offense to snap the losing skid heading in to the big series in Detroit that started on Thursday night, a four game series against the first place Tigers. Guardians heading into play for the series were six games back of the front running Tigers, but with rain following the team to Detroit, they'd had to play through it again and it would be the
Guardians getting on the board first. In the fourth inning, with two men on and Carlos Santana at the plate, there's a swing of a line drive right center field. It's headed to the gap and he gets down for a gapper all the way to the wall. Ramirez will score. Right behind him is man Zarto trying to keep his feet. He does and he scores as well into second with a two run double. It's red hot Carlos Santana and
the Guardians grabbed the lead to nothing. Then on hell, Martinez got into one leading off the fifth, swung on and that's launched high in the air to right deep way back gone home run. Martinez. Oh, he leaned into one from Flarty and drove it into the lower stands in right and the Guardians now lead it by a
score of three nothing. Number two for on Hell Martinez as he continues to provide a spark wherever they play him, whether it's the outfield or second base, and that's where he is tonight and comes through with a solo blast here in the fifth inning. Meanwhile, on the mound, Tanner Biby was dominant against one of baseball's best offenses so far this season.
Byby's ready, here it comes. Breaking ball got him swinging. What a curveball Dingler his eighth strike on Victim and Tanner Biby dominating the Tigers in seven superb innings and in the eighth, the Tigers, trying to mount a comeback, loaded the bases with nobody out, and on the pitch came Kate Smith to save the day. The set of the one too swiming a mess, he went back to the heat ninety eight miles an hour. What a job by Kate Smith, paces loaded nobody out, Tigers failed to score.
Smith strikes out three in a row, three nothing Cleveland after eight.
What a performance by Smith. Then in the ninth inning, the Guardians pulled away with a run, scoring on a Tiger's error that made it for nothing, and then on Hell Martinez delivered again in field in the O one swung on line drive toward the line and left diving is but do he can't catch it? Ball gets by him. That'll score two. Schneemin and Nailer score in with a
two run double. The left is on hell Martinez, he is knocked in three, he's blown and wide open six nothing Cleveland here in the ninth lane, Thomas, returning from the injured list, added a sackfly that made it seven to nothing, and that would be more than enough as Matt Festa was on in the ninth to preserve the shutout.
Now the O two checked on a pitch high did he go yes on the appeal at first ball game? And the Guardians get the shutout and they get Game one, beating the Detroit Tigers seven to nothing. So a nice win for the Guardians and the series opener in Detroit
on Thursday night. On Friday night, more good pitching, a dry playing field too, and the Guardians didn't waste any time getting started, as in the first inning Stephen Kuan let things off with a double, and then Jose Ramirez put the Guardians in front, and Ramirez swings and drives went in the air deep right center, long run for bias, still going back on the track, this ball hips off the base of the wall, cams back to the right
fielder Carpenter around third, coming home to scores. Kwan in with a head first slide and a triple is Jose Ramirez a booming triple off the base of the wall in deep right center. Two batters later, Carlos Santana made it a crooked number in the first. The pitch swung on broken back ground ball in the hole back ended by Sweeney jump throw. The first doesn't have much on it, no chance to get Santana. He's go an infield hit.
Ramirez will score and the Guardians get a clutch two out broken bat infield single by Carlos Santana, who now has twenty rbies in the month of May, and the Guardians have a two to nothing lead here in the first.
And on the mound slade. Seconi was impressive in this one, as he was in his debut in Cincinnati last weekend. The one two to Keith breaking bald. Did he check it out? He went too far? They made the appeal. It's a little at third, that strike three and the side is retired. We're headed to the sixth Cleveland two
Detroit nothing. Seconi gave up a solo home run to Spencer Torkelsen in the sixth inning that made it a two to one Guardian's lead, and then the bullpen took over, starting with Hunter Gaddis, who shut down the Tigers in the seventh and was back out there for another inning of work in the eighth.
Now the pitch swag in a mess. He went back to the slider, strikes out Torkolsen. The ninth is next two to one Cleveland on the Cleveland Clinic Radio network.
In the top half of the night, the Guardians again padded their lead, this time with a leadoff triple from bow Naylor, and then Stephen Quan delivered.
The pitch Kwan Bangs a base hit in the left Guardians take a three to one lead. Quan with a three hit night RBI number eighteen and Cleveland, like last night, getting a big run and maybe more in the ninth inning, now leading this game three to.
One, and in the bottom of the ninth a manual Classe was looking to collect another save.
Clause is ready. Here's the one two pitch to Irlin a swing in a little bloop job shallow right near the line, long run. Nolan Jones makes the catching foul ground ball game and the Guardians have held the Tigers to one run in the first two ballgames and win again three to one.
So a great start to the series in Detroit. Heading into Saturday night and Game three of the series, which will conclude on Sunday morning in eleven thirty five start time in Detroit to close out the series, and this long three city road trip stay. Whether it's woman came back, we'll hear from pitching coach Carl Willis that's next. As Guardians Weekly continues on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
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Jim Rosenow's back with you. It's Guardians Weekly from Detroit this week, and it has been some kind of week weatherwise for the Guardians to try not only to win games, but just get games in. And it started in Minneapolis, where three straight days of rain caused one rain out and some moving around of the schedule. Somehow they got games in and during that time we caught up with Carl Willis, the Guardian's pitching coach, who spent a big portion of his playing career with the Twins, and we'll
talk to him about that in a little bit. But first, with all that rain leading to the suspended game on Monday and then a cancelation on Tuesday and nearly two full games on Wednesday as they had to finish a suspended game before playing the regularly scheduled game, we talked to Carl about how the team planned to manage the pitching staff through all that uncertainty.
You know, because we started the game on my night. You know, we can't have a twenty seventh man for game one. You can't juggle that roster or that lineup, so to speak. So because we don't have an off day within the next five six days, you know, we have to pick up the suspended game with a reliever. If we were to use a starter in that position and then a starter for game two, we wouldn't have a starter for Monday, So that makes it a little different,
a little more challenging. You know, the Twins, on the other hand, are off tomorrow. They can utilize two starters today. So you know, we obviously trust the heck out of our bullpen. It's been a strength of our team now for over a year, and you know we'll go get after it.
Carl, I know you always enjoy coming here, some great memories as a player. Even now, you still come back here and enjoy the city, even though it's a different ballpark, but seeing some old friends, no.
Doubt about it. I have a handful of former teammates that made their home here in Minneapolis in the Twin Cities area, and always get to catch up with those guys, the clubhouse guys, you know, the visiting CLUBB. He here in Minnesota. Now, his father was one of my closest friends. He was a really close friend with our manager, Tom Kelly, and he ran the clubhouse for the Minnesota Vikings. And so just a lot of people here that continue to work for and support the Twins that I really enjoy seeing.
And you were part of one of the great Twins teams ever. The nineteen ninety one World Series team still does have the longest win streak and Twins history of fifteen games. They gave it a run here this club one thirteen just completed, but you were a part of that fifteen game win streak. I looked it up, win number four. The winning pitcher in an extra inning game was Carl Willis. What do you remember about the tenth inning of that game when you came on to pitch first.
I'm surprised I do remember, but I remember that streak. I know we went to Cleveland during that streak. As a matter of fact, I think prior to going to Baltimore where the streak ended, we were in Cleveland. But I think I remember that game, Rosie, because it was my first win in the Major League since probably nineteen Gosh, eighty six. I'd spent a little bit of time with the White Sox in eighty eight, but I recall coming
in the game. I don't remember the exact situation. I know they were met on bas I know there were no outs. What I do recall is Sam Horn grounding into a double play to end that inning, and I remember in the bottom of the tenth, I believe Randy Bush, I think it was a swinging bunt, and you know, we had the old turf in the Metrodome at the time, and it just kind of trickled through the infield and someone scored from second base and we won the game.
And you know, when you brought it up, I was surprised that I do remember it, But I think I remember it because again it was my first win in quite some time.
And again I was win number four out of fifteen. Was that the stretch that really cemented this team, the ninety one Twins, thinking that they could have a special season. Yeah, as I recall it was. You know, we started out the season, we were two and nine. Things were not going well, and we started to play better when that streak happened. As you said, we won fifteen games in a row, and I think after the streak we then came back in one another six or seven in a row.
But during that period, during that stretch Oakland.
It was back at the time when there was an ale east and an ale west, and we were in the west, and we caught Oakland and passed Oakland, and actually we were in a dogfight with Oakland for the remainder of the season until you know, we got into September and we're able to clinch the division.
Carl, great stuff, Thank you for remembering. That's pretty good. It's a long time ago down but enjoy the day to day.
Thanks all right. Thanks.
Always fun to catch up with. Carl Willis, the Guardian's pitching coach, who has some great memories of his playing career, with the highlight being that nineteen ninety one season with the Minnesota Twins. Well, we're gonna stay on the pitching front. When we come back after the break, we'll talk with starting pitcher Slade Secone and reliever Hunter Gaddis and comes your way next on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network. Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhause along with you
from Camerica Park in Detroit. Where the Guardians are taking on the Tigers this weekend. Slade Secone picked up his first win as a Cleveland Guardian on Friday night, as he was strong through six innings for the Guardians, allowing just one run on five hits. He made his debut for Leveland after a stint on the injured list last weekend in Cincinnati, and we caught up with him after
that start against the Reds. He took the loss that day, but was solid through five and he says he was very pleased with how things went in his first start of this season.
Yeah, I was happy with the process that we went through to get to the end result. Obviously want to go out there and get a win every time take the hill, but that isn't always controlla So we try to control the controllabulls and you know, just excute pitches one of the time, and I felt like I did a good job of that. There's some room for improvement, but I was happy with yesterday.
You're still very young in your major league career. What is a trade leg that's done for you? Just having a different perspective and having different people looking at what you do and what can make you really good.
Yeah, this organization is amazing. On the pitching side of things, We've done a lot of very good work. We haven't left many stones, many stones unturned in terms of of looking at ways to get better and ways to develop. And that gives me a lot of confidence every time I take the ball that you know, myself and the team around me has done all the work that it can to put our best foot forward when I step on that field.
And it seems like you have a wide pitch mix, a lot of variety there. Has that always been the case or is that something that you've developed in recent years?
It's continued to develop. The changeup came on last years as a big addition which I've been searching for for a while, and then this year we've added in a cutter and a sinker to take some of that super high four seam fastball percentage down. We felt like that was part of the reason why I would have those some of those dips in villa later in the game and some of those you know, really hard hit balls off the four seam was just sheer number of throwing
it so much. When you throw it sixty percent of the time, eventually you're gonna throw a couple little bit slow, were in a couple a little more middle, and being able to diversify the portfolio a little bit has has definitely given me more confidence to really rip that four seam and execute it when I do throw.
Slates to Tony joining us. You're from the UT the University of Miami, and for a long time they've had a good baseball program there during your time there, What did that mean to you to be able to play there as a Florida kid.
Oh, I committed there super early. It was actually my first and only offer. I was young when I committed, Don't get me wrong, but I always knew that that was my number one school, and I was so excited to be a Cane in my unfortunately short but sweet time that was there. You know, we got we got canceled that COVID here and I went out as a sophomore.
But I love watching the way they've they've turned around their season this year, and I'm really looking forward to watching them continue to play good baseball.
And now being a part of this here at the major league level with Cleveland obviously a team where the rotation has been going. Well, are you do you feel that even as you're rehaving and getting closer to being available, that you could be a part of something that's really good here.
Yeah.
Absolutely, I see. You know, guys day in and day out go out there and take the ball and you know, do their job XQ pitches get ahead of hitters, do the little things the right way, and that gives me a lot of confidence that, you know, the focus here is on the right things.
Translate.
Thanks so much for coming back. Appreciate it.
Thank you boy.
What a big boost late. So Coney could be if he can maintain the consistency that he has shown so far. His spot in the rotation vacated by Ben Lively, who first went on the injured list, and just on Friday was announced that Ben Lively will be undergoing Tommy John surgery in the weeks ahead, and that means that twelve to sixteen month rehab process. Tough break for one of
the good guys in the game. Ben Lively a thirteen game winner a year ago and he was off to a good start again this season, but he'll face that long rehab. Pros says now to try and come back from Tommy John surgery well in the bullpen the bullpen has had some ups and downs, more so than a year ago when they had a dream season. But one pitcher who has been absolutely terrific and maybe better than he was a year ago is Hunter Gaddis, who came into play on Friday night with an earned run average
of zero point ninety five. He had allowed just two runs in nineteen innings, and sure enough, on Friday Night he put together two more scoreless innings. We caught up with him as the series was beginning in Detroit on Thursday and talked to him about that good start and what's led to consistency for him over such a long period of time.
I think it's just taking it out in biolting, not really looking too much in the past of what has happened, more of just trying to stay focused on the future and outing bioling, you know, trying to get better and better.
Pitch quality wise, anything coming along maybe better than you had anticipated, or a pitch that that was working as good last year that's doing better.
No, Actually it's kind of been the same. I guess it's always. I feel like as a pitch you're always striving to make each pitch better. So it's like I don't know if you can ever be completely happy. Like one game, I may throw my fast forward really well and I'm happy, and then the next it may not be exactly what I want. So I feel like it's always trying to make them better.
And I feel like we've seen maybe a few more change ups this year, or maybe the ones you're throwing are better. How's that pitch coming along for you? And are you working it in a little bit more if the situation calls for it.
I think so far it's been about the same usage. I know, towards the end of us here I was using a lot more. So maybe it bounced the number up a little bit, but uh no, it's really you know, one of my favorite pitches that throw. It's just different.
It's weird.
I like being weird on the mound, so you know, I always trying to work it in when it's a good time to.
Why is it weird?
It's just really slow, It's just really so. I mean, it's like fifteen to twenty off my fastball. It's just fun to me, you know, make it go that slow.
And yesterday in Minnesota one of the worst weather days of the year, and look, you have them, you got to get through them. How bad was it and what were the challenges for you?
You know, it's just you know, you're kind of sitting around all day. You know, we had the day before or you know, the first game where two rangel As were were kind of sitting around. Then it gets canceled, and then you know, you have the whole off day where they canceled both of those games. So then you're sitting around again, and then you know, you have a game and a half doubleheader and you're just sitting around
a lot and to what's you're time to throw? So it's just a lot of sitting around, staying ready, and you know, it's just a lot of time of preparing and not you know, getting ready to go in. But it was difficult, but it was you know, it is what it is.
And by the time you got out there that I mean, it had rained a lot during the day. How was the mound and the conditions that you were pitching at.
You know, the mountain wasn't perfect by any means, but I think they did a good job, you know, kind of keeping on their and the best they could, and you know, it worked out just fine.
Hunter Gatis joining US Guardian's Reliever series opens the night here in Detroit. First time you're facing the Tigers since the postseason a year ago. You, like everyone else, just had a tremendous series against the Tigers. You got to win in that exciting Game four right here. What are some of the memories that stand out to you of that series against Detroit that that maybe jump out right away?
I mean, I don't think I really have anything exactly. I just that was an unreal series. You know, they were all close games, really good games. Everybody seemed like they were performing pretty well on both sides, and it felt really good to come out on the top on that series. And you know, I'm expecting another good one for these four games for sure.
And then the game four that you got the winning was the David Frye home run game late, and you're on the mound and getting key outs late. As good an experience as you can have in the big leagues when when you're in that type of situation.
Yeah, for sure. I mean, I don't know, you know what else. You know, playing in October is a big thing. Last year was my first year and being able to live it and do it, it was you know, I see why it's such a big deal now. But yeah, that Game four was a really big game. I believe I came in any beefore, then David hits a homer, and then I went back out. It was pretty incredible.
You reference this series, and I know they're all supposed to be the same, You're supposed to focus on each game, but is there a little more sizzled to this one, just based on how the past has gone and the season that they're having so far.
Yeah, I mean, I think it's an indivision Indivision game. Both teams want to win for sure, and you've got to prepare and go out there and do the best you can and see who comes out on top.
A Hunter, thanks for coming. I appreciate it.
Thank you appreciate it.
That's Hunter Gatis, Guardian's relief pitcher who has been just terrific out of the pen, and especially so on Friday night in Detroit with two scoreless innings to set up a manual class A for another. Say, stay with us when we come back. We'll hear about some of the fine young talent in the minor league system at single A Lake County. That's next on the Cleveland Clinic, Guardians Radio.
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Situations Jimmers announced back with you from Camerica Park in Detroit.
It's Guardians Weekly and it's great to have along with us this weekend. Each week we try and check in with Stephen Osterer, who is the vice president of player development for the Guardians, for a minor league report and this week's His travels took him to Lake County, not too far outside the Cleveland city limits to see the high A Lake County Captains. And we'll start on the position player side of things with last year's second round
draft pick, catcher Jacob Cozart, a coach's son. His dad used to be the head coach down at High Point University, and Austin talked about how that has shown as we get to know him better in his first professional season.
He's a leader for us, you know, on the field and and off the field as well. You know, he's the kind of guy that everyone wants to throw to and and you know, a big part of that is obviously the skill set of being a catcher, and he's a strong defender, he's got an Elaite glove, he's, you know, a really good receiver.
Yeah, he throws guys out.
But I think the part that you know, the pitching staff appreciate just as much on top of that is how prepared he is and how confident he is and how he can actually lead his staff. And you know that comes out in the conversations that he has in between innings and and before the game and reflecting post game with our pitching staff and and our pitching coach
as well. So, yeah, a lot of those traits that you would expect to come through from like a coaching lens and understanding that he's he's showing that as a player, and Jacobs had a you know, really good behind the dish uh and and is picking up his bat a little bit here too, which is great to see.
And moving to the outfield, an intriguing name is Alfonso Risorio and Rosario came from the Cubs and the Eli Morgan trade over the wintertime, and it looks like he's putting up some really solid numbers across the board offensively.
Yes, he is, yeah, physical, physical outfielder. You know, he's got the ability to express speed and power at the plate in on the basis, the profile was was very much lots of pop, lots.
Of whiff maybe when we got him, but he's done a really.
Good job, you know, cutting that whiff down, made some swing adjustments and transition into more walks, you know, higher ops, more slug and he's played a really good outfield too, so some defensive upside and we think he can develop even a better neck to grab more bags on the basis, you know than what he's shown in the past. He's shown a really strong interest in doing that as well. So pretty exciting player to watch and does a lot of fun things you know, out in the field.
When you do start to work with a player who has acquired from another organization via a trade, I'm sure that's a shock to them at a certain level. How do you help them transition and get comfortable in Cleveland system.
Yeah, that's a great question.
You know, getting traded, I think is is a challenging thing to go through for the first time, especially as a minor leaguer.
You know, it's a big.
Part of our focus when when we get guys is just to show that we're there to partner with them and to.
You know, be a support system for them. So it's a lot of learning.
About you know, things that they value, who they see themselves as a player, things that they're working on, their goals that you know, their vision for the long term, and you know, really understanding what makes them tick and you know, then coming to the table over time as we build a relationship and put an emphasis on that to you know, kind of partner with them along the way, so you know, making them feel comfortable, making them feel heard,
really understanding them is a huge part. Uh and Rosario was you know a really good really good player, But getting him to feel comfortable and understand the things that he's working on is a big part of this too.
When you look at Ralphie Velasquez, he's someone we've talked about a lot. We saw him in some major league games in spring training. How is his season gone as he deals with some of the ups and downs of the minor leagues and trying to make some progress at the high A level.
Now, Yeah, good question.
I mean, he has gone through a little bit of the up and down that I think you'd.
Expect for a teenager in hig A.
He's still one of the youngest players at that level in all of baseball, and making some of the off field adjustments, the the you know, the on field adjustments, and it takes a bit of time for those things to work through. So you know, he's working through some some swing changes, he's working, you know, to kind of make adjustments to his approach, and he still shows some really strong underlying traits.
He's still putting up a lead.
Exit velocities on average, just having maybe a little bit lower you know, batting average and ball and player babbit, which you know can sometimes lead to poor outcomes. But yeah, the underlying things are there, and he's working hard at you know, maybe showing some of the outcomes that we'd want to see or he would want to see. But for a young kid, we we don't put a ton of stock or pressure into that.
So Ralphie's a great kid.
You know, he's working hard, he's a better hitter, and he's going to be fun to continue to track the progress on.
It's our weekly minor league report with Vice president of Player Development Stephen Ostro, and we're talking Lake County at the Single A high Single A level and onto the mound the top of the minor leagues for a little while. Last year was the tug boat. Matt Wilkinson got off to a great start on the mound at Lynchburg and carried that through to Lake County. At least numbers wise, a slower start this year, but what still has you excited about the tug boat and and what he could do this season.
Yeah, tug boat phenomenal year last year, and he has battled it a little bit at times to start this year. As we talked about with Ralph and some of these younger guys, the surface numbers aren't always.
Telling the whole story.
So you know, as an example here, he's faced the same lineup four times already, you know, working on you know, some delivery stuff to support more velo along the way, which is going to pull back a little bit of execution and guys are going to be more prepared for him. So yeah, that that is going to result in in maybe a bit of a pullback in numbers and performance outcomes,
but we're not concerned at all. You know, we've seen some really nice change up development which was a huge focus for him, and continuing to work on, you know, moving that needle towards long term velocity gain. So he's still really young to twenty two years old, despite being a twenty three draft pick out a Juco, and there's lots of low hanging fruit left and time to go
and get those things. So you know, despite a maybe a bit of a slower start for Tug to start the year, you know, doesn't change how we view him or how we view the year on the whole.
Also on the mound at Lynchburg, the Guardians made a nice trade with the kind of like three team deal with the Toronto on the Pirates, but they got pitching from the Pirates including Luis Ortiz, who's done some nice work at the major league level, but on the minor league side, they also got two good prospects, one of whom Josh Hartle, is off to a nice start at Lake County. And what can you tell us about his progress so far?
Yeah, So, the highly regarded left handed charter to college at Wake and was known for his strikes and unique angles from the left side, and we've seen both of those things so far. He's pitched really well and two keys for him this year have really been separating out the movement of his pitches and continuing to add velocity long term, and he started to move the needle on those things on top of you knowing, throwing a ton of strikes and executing his pitches to where he wants to.
So this is this is a big kid who's going to continue to add fat free mass, muscle strength, power, and we think he's just going to continue to get better as the year goes along and we get to know him a little bit better and he gets to know us and our.
Resources a little bit better too.
So really excited for what Josh has shown thus far. The strategy's made this far, and you know again, excited for where.
This is going to go.
Well, always fun stuff to hear about the young prospects and what they're up to. In this case, this week it was Lake County, Austy. Thanks so much for coming bye. We'll talk to you again soon.
Nanks Rosie appreciate you.
That is Stephen Ostro, the Guardian's vice president of Player Developments. Some good stuff going on down at single A, Lake County, and that's going to put a lid on this week's edition of Guardians Weekly. Thanks so much to Brian Motse as always for his help of putting together our show each week. We will join you next week. Finally, from
back home. After this long ten game three city road trip wraps up, Guardians will take on the Dodgers starting Monday night at six' ten three against The, dodgers there by yearly visit to a progressive field and last Year's World series champions making their appearance In Cleveland monday And tuesday nights at six, ten when day afternoon at one, ten and we'll join you Next saturday during The angels
series next. Weekend so until, then this Is jim Rosen house reminding you that you've been listening To Guardians weekly on The Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio. Network Guardians weekly has been brought to you By Progressive Helping guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance