Astros, Guardians Lock Up Division Titles and Set Sights on Strong Finish

The Cleveland Guardians and the Houston Astros could meet in this year’s postseason, but for now, the two division winners aim to finish the regular season strong when they begin a three-game series on Friday in Cleveland.

Cleveland (92-67) won its second American League Central title in three years and has clinched a first-round postseason bye. Houston (86-73) secured its fourth straight AL West crown and will host a best-of-three wild-card series starting next Tuesday.

Rookie left-hander Joey Cantillo (2-3, 4.63 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Guardians on Friday. It will mark his ninth career appearance and eighth start since his debut on July 28 against the Philadelphia Phillies. He has never faced the Astros.

Cantillo did not factor into the decision of a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 19 after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. He had won his two previous starts, allowing one run in 12 innings over that span.

Cantillo’s start comes after first-year Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt orchestrated a bullpen game to beat the visiting the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 on Wednesday.

Vogt had his decision validated when seven relievers combined to allow one earned run on six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts.

The Guardians’ league-low 2.59 bullpen ERA would tie the Seattle Mariners for the lowest in a season since 2014. Cleveland’s bullpen also surrenders the fewest walks and hits per innings pitched (1.04), the fewest home runs per nine innings (0.73) and boasts the second-highest strikeout percentage (26.1).

Closer Emmanuel Clase and his franchise-record 47 saves stand out, but the entire bullpen has been stout.

“They’ve been steady for us all year,” Vogt said. “They’ve just been throwing the ball great.

“Can’t ask for anything more than what this bullpen has done for us this year. And again, we saw it on display how great they were.”

As for Houston, right-hander Ronel Blanco (12-6, 2.88) has the starting assignment for the series opener.

Blanco allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks with nine strikeouts across six innings in a 10-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. He had tossed 13 scoreless innings over his prior three appearances. Blanco is 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA and a .647 opponent OPS this month.

In his lone career appearance against the Guardians, Blanco allowed two runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts over four innings. He did not factor into the decision of a 3-2 home victory on Aug. 2, 2023.

The Astros’ 8-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday marked their first with left-hander Yusei Kikuchi on the mound following his trade deadline acquisition from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 29.

Kikuchi delivered his third straight quality start by allowing two unearned runs on four hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over six innings. In 10 starts with Houston, Kikuchi is 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 60 innings.

With Houston locked in as the No. 3 seed for the postseason, Kikuchi has provided the rotation depth the Astros desperately sought while eyeing another postseason push.

“We were in need of having someone like that who could give us innings and allow us to be in position to make a run,” Houston manager Joe Espada said of Kikuchi. “And he did just that.”

–Field Level Media