On their first big night in New York this October, the Cleveland Guardians faced a tough game.
Rookie reliever Joey Cantillo threw four wild pitches, two of which allowed crucial runs to score in the third inning. As a result, the Guardians lost 5-2 to the New York Yankees in the opener of the American League Championship Series on Monday.
“Joey has done a good job for us coming out of the bullpen, and that inning just kind of got away from us, and that was it,” manager Stephen Vogt said.
“He looked a little rushed at first, but then it seemed like he was struggling to find the strike zone. We’ve seen Joey be great for the last month and a half, so this was very unusual for him.”
Cleveland walked seven batters and threw a total of five wild pitches, matching a postseason record.
“I wasn’t very sharp. Obviously, I fell behind on guys,” Cantillo said. “I didn’t execute pitches, and my control wasn’t there. I just need to be better next time. That performance was obviously the difference in the game. So, that’s on me.”
Cleveland was trailing 1-0 when Cantillo came in to replace injured starter Alex Cobb, who had walked three batters and loaded the bases with two outs in the third.
The left-hander fell behind 2-0 on Anthony Rizzo and then threw a fastball that bounced away from catcher Bo Naylor, allowing Aaron Judge to score from third.
Cantillo also bounced a 1-2 pitch to the No. 9 batter, Alex Verdugo, which went to the backstop, letting Giancarlo Stanton score easily. In just six pitches, the score went from 1-0 to 3-0.
“I talked to him a little afterward. I feel responsible for him even being in that position,” Cobb said. “He’s got a really good future ahead of him. Going into a bases-loaded situation at Yankee Stadium in a playoff game is probably not ideal for anyone. … So I feel for him. But he’s going to be fine. He’ll be a big part of our team going forward.”
Cantillo struck out Verdugo to end the inning but then walked Gleyber Torres to start the fourth. He threw two more wild pitches that allowed Torres to reach third base.
“A few of them were fast pitches. At this level, with fast pitches like that, you just try to get your glove on it and see what you can do,” Naylor said. “I think there was a changeup that got away from me. It just stayed low and went through my legs.”
After a full-count walk to Juan Soto, Cantillo was taken out for Pedro Avila. Torres scored on Judge’s sacrifice fly, making it 4-0, and the Guardians couldn’t bounce back in their first ALCS game since 2016.
In just his second appearance since September 27, the 24-year-old Cantillo walked three of the four batters he faced and threw only seven strikes out of 21 pitches.
When asked if nerves played a role, Cantillo replied, “No, not necessarily. I fell behind and didn’t make my pitches, and then one thing led to another.”
Cantillo’s four wild pitches set a franchise record for a reliever and matched the team record for any pitcher in a postseason or regular-season game. The last Cleveland pitcher to throw four wild pitches in a game was Jake Westbrook against the Chicago White Sox on April 5, 2010.
Andrew Walters threw another wild pitch in the eighth inning, but it didn’t cost the Guardians.
The only other team to throw five wild pitches in one postseason game was the St. Louis Cardinals, all by rookie starter Rick Ankiel, who struggled with control early in a 2000 NL Division Series game against Atlanta. Ankiel later switched to being a lefty-hitting outfielder.
“Joey’s not someone I really worry about when it comes to confidence or getting his mind back on track,” Naylor said. “He wants those moments, whether things go well or not. He’s always looking for ways to improve.
“You just need to support him, let him know that this team is behind him at all times. He’ll take care of the rest. He’s strong mentally, and I’m very glad to have him on my team.”
When reporters walked into Cleveland’s quiet clubhouse after the game, Cantillo was sitting in a chair, looking down at his locker. But he soon stood up straight and answered a series of questions confidently.
“He’s very mature. He’s accountable. He works really hard,” Cobb said. “He has everything you want in someone who’s going to have a long career.”
