Triple-A Columbus Clippers (5-1) vs. Syracuse Mets (New York Mets)
As the Guardians continue to look for pitching help at the majors, one of those options they are hoping will make himself an option, Triston McKenzie, struck out 11 and walked three in six innings in the second game of a doubleheader on Aug. 3. McKenzie induced 22 swings and misses in that start while averaging 91 mph with his fastball and hitting 96, so he appears to be healthy.
Logan Allen was scheduled to start for Columbus on Aug. 4 but he was scratched and called up to Cleveland to possibly start Aug. 5. WIll Dion fired six scoreless innings with four strikeouts and a walk in his stead.
The newest pitching option, Alex Cobb, threw 69 pitches on Aug. 3 in 4 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking two while allowing a run. The 69 pitches were a season-high for the rehabbing Cobb, who should make his first Guardians appearance later this week.
Matt Boyd is also on track to be an option soon. He allowed two runs (one earned) in 3 2/3 innings with five strikeouts on Aug. 1.
Reliever Sam Hentges threw two scoreless innings over two days in Columbus as he works his way back to the majors from a sore shoulder last month.
After a blowup last week following Andrew Walters’ nine straight scoreless outings, the 2023 Comp B round pick threw another scoreless inning Aug. 3 as he tries to be an option for the September bullpen.
A man without a defensive home in Triple-A — or on the major-league team, for that matter — Juan Brito turned in a good week, going 5-for-20 with a double and a homer, once again, playing right field, second base and first base.
Gracias🫶🏻
HR 15 for Brito pic.twitter.com/gDU4DkVLss
— Columbus Clippers (@CLBClippers) July 31, 2024
George Valera is hoping for time to get a look in 2024 before he’s out of options next year and went 6-for-19 with two doubles and a homer. Hard to see where he fits into the roster situation at the moment though.
Gabriel Arias went 7-for-12 with a homer and a double, but perhaps most importantly had three walks and no strikeouts on the week as his approach was what needed improving the most.
Arias HR! pic.twitter.com/pKAe8vl5Tb
— Columbus Clippers (@CLBClippers) August 4, 2024
It’s hard to tell what Will Brennan is working on to get back to the majors. An eight-hit, three-double week to start his option back to Triple-A isn’t a bad start, as much as the pitching difference looks like between the majors and Triple-A.
Columbus heads to St. Paul to take on the Saints (Minnesota Twins) this week and will be in Minnesota at the same time the Guardians will be over the upcoming weekend, playing four games in three days due to a doubleheader.
Double-A Akron (3-3) at Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals)
Austin Peterson continued his dominance this season, going seven innings allowed with three runs (two earned) with two strikeouts. He leads all of minor league baseball in innings pitched with 122 1/3.
The first pitcher in @MiLB to win 12 games is @APetey19 (5-1 for Akron)!
7⃣ innings
2⃣ strikeouts
2⃣ @bbb_Akron double playsFor the season:
122.1 IP this season #⃣1⃣ in MiLB
0.78 WHIP #⃣1⃣ in MiLB
121 K #⃣4⃣ in MiLB https://t.co/8BoW4rytkJ pic.twitter.com/Yg5f2nJ382— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) August 1, 2024
Ryan Webb is in the top 30 among strikeouts in minor league baseball with eight more on Aug. 1, though he did allow six runs (five earned) on 10 hits across five innings.
With 8⃣ strikeouts in Harrisburg, @RWebb55 leads the @EasternLeague with 118 strikeouts! pic.twitter.com/U61NRDGn8a
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) August 2, 2024
Aaron Davenport is not on the list for either, but he did fan 10 on Aug. 3 across five innings. Two runs crossed the plate on his watch as he also walked one.
It was an offensively challenging week for Akron, but Petey Halpin homered twice and doubled while driving in five runs for the best offensive performance by a ‘Duck on the week.
A new career high!@peteyhalpin crushes his 🔟th Western Reserve Distillers 🍸HOME RUN (5th in July)
97 mph 🚀 365 feetTOP 3 | Akron 3 | Harrisburg 0 pic.twitter.com/3R7ZT3EIzs
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) July 30, 2024
CJ Kayfus did deliver three RBI with two doubles and four walks but didn’t add a ton of power during this series.
2022 first-rounder Chase DeLauter is back from his turf toe issue that kept him out from May 28 to July 19. DeLauter was 1-for-12 on the week with a walk.
Akron comes home this week to host the Reading Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies).
High-A Lake County Captains (3-3) vs. Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins)
The first official homestand of 2024 first overall pick Travis Bazzana commenced this week with Bazzana playing in three of the six games as he gets re-acclimated to playing after over a month off since his college season ended. It was an exciting homestand for Bazzana as he hit a grand slam on July 31 in the re-start of the suspended game of his home debut on July 30. Overall, the Australian-born second baseman had two other hits and a steal, and he walked four times, and struck out four times as he worked deep counts each time at-bat.
Travis Bazzana worked another 3-2 count. He just missed an 0-1 pitch in the zone, fouled it off, worked it to full and then hit a grand slam for his first career minor league homer. pic.twitter.com/BFIsMihJYI
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) July 31, 2024
While Bazzana got big headlines, the biggest offensive week belonged to Angel Genao. The 20-year-old infielder had an 11-hit week with three doubles and a homer, with five driven in. The switch hitter is hitting .322/.369/.472 in 42 games with Lake County.
Outfielder Jorge Burgos showed off some power this week against Beloit with two homers and a double, most of his damage coming Aug. 3. He drove in six on the week and had strong exit velocities at or over 100 in that Aug. 3 win.
BURGOS GOES 💥
Jorge Burgos hits his team-best 13th home run of the year to give the Captains a 7-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/RAZgWp061s
— Lake County Captains (@LCCaptains) August 4, 2024
Matt Wilkinson put himself back atop the leaderboard in strikeouts in all of minor league baseball (144) with seven strikeouts and just a walk and two his across six innings on Aug. 2 in a win.
Quite the sword induced here by Tugboat in the sixth. pic.twitter.com/aS0zx1TJKw
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) August 3, 2024
Newly promoted Matt Jachec came in and struck out eight over four innings in two games pitched, and picked up a save.
Lake County heads to Dayon (Cincinnati Reds) this coming week to take on the Dragons.
Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats (3-2)
The Hillcats’ roster took the biggest hit of the trade deadline, but two pitchers did step up.
Jackson Humphries fired his best outing in a long while with nine strikeouts in four innings, without a walk and only allowed a run in four innings in a 7-3 win the day after the deadline.
Right hander Yorman Gomez stepped up after two rough nights and delivered shutout innings with one hit, three walks and eight strikeouts on Aug. 3, in a 3-0 rain shortened five-inning win for Lynchburg.
Jaison Chourio stayed put during the deadline and continued to challenge Carolina League pitchers. The 19-year-old was four-of-five in steals on the week while batting .273/.439/.364, adding a double and three walks.
New Hillcats infielder Welbyn Francisca stepped in and has been a solid hitter in his first exposure to non-complex ball, going 4-for-13 with a walk and a steal for the 18-year-old.
Also up from the ACL, 1B/3B Luis Merejo has had an interesting first week as an 18-year-old in the Carolina League. He added a double and a homer in his first week with the Hillcats.
The Hillcats head to Fayetteville (Texas Rangers) for the week.
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