CLEVELAND — The Guardians have repeatedly shown they are not going to live in their fears during the MLB playoffs.
On Sunday, Oct. 18, Game 5 of the American League Championship Series proved the bold approach can backfire.
For the first time, the Guardians paired starting pitcher Parker Messick with catcher Patrick Bailey instead of Austin Hedges. Perhaps Messick still would have had a rough outing if Hedges were catching. Although Messick insisted his arm and body feel good, he has pitched 200 innings in the 2026 regular season and postseason combined — far more than he had ever pitched in a single college or minor-league season.
Whether Messick is fatigued or fresh, the bottom line is the Guardians used a new wrinkle with a rookie pitcher under the bright lights of the playoffs, and he did not perform well in a monumental Game 5.
Messick struggling is certainly not the only reason the Guardians lost 3-1 to the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field and now trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven ALCS as the series returns to St. Petersburg, Florida, for Game 6 at 8:08 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at Tropicana Field.
#messick #game #field #series
On Sunday, Oct. 18, Game 5 of the American League Championship Series proved the bold approach can backfire.
For the first time, the Guardians paired starting pitcher Parker Messick with catcher Patrick Bailey instead of Austin Hedges. Perhaps Messick still would have had a rough outing if Hedges were catching. Although Messick insisted his arm and body feel good, he has pitched 200 innings in the 2026 regular season and postseason combined — far more than he had ever pitched in a single college or minor-league season.
Whether Messick is fatigued or fresh, the bottom line is the Guardians used a new wrinkle with a rookie pitcher under the bright lights of the playoffs, and he did not perform well in a monumental Game 5.
Messick struggling is certainly not the only reason the Guardians lost 3-1 to the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field and now trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven ALCS as the series returns to St. Petersburg, Florida, for Game 6 at 8:08 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at Tropicana Field.
#messick #game #field #series
5 days ago
