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Cleveland Guardians ALCS Game 1: Alex Cobb pitching through hip, back injuries
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- Cleveland Guardians ALCS Game 1: Alex Cobb pitching through hip, back injuries
NEW YORK — The Yankees have a lineup built upon a deadly combination of power and patience.
It's an issue the Guardians ran into in Monday night's ALCS Game 1 at Yankee Stadium . Juan Soto drilled a solo home run off starter Alex Cobb , who then put Joey Cantillo into a tough spot with the bases loaded. Cantillo's command issues then leaned into the Yankees ' patience, and a series of wild pitches opened the door to a major deficit with Carlos Rodon on the mound.
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After losing 5-2, the Guardians will now have to beat Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in Game 2 Tuesday night in order to return to Cleveland with the series tied.
Here are the top takeaways from Game 1.
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Joey Cantillo (54) walks off the field after being relieved during the fourth inning against the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday in New York.
Alex Cobb takes responsibility for Joey Cantillo's rough night in ALCS Game 1
Cantillo took full responsibility for his command issues after the game, saying he just didn't execute like he needed and he needs to be better in the future. But Cobb then took that responsibility from him for putting the rookie in such a difficult spot, as he had to enter an ALCS game at Yankee Stadium with the bases loaded.
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That's not exactly dipping your toes in the water, that's diving head-first into Jaws' mouth. Or, as Cobb viewed it, him pushing Cantillo off the plank.
"Kind of talked to him a little bit afterwards — just feel responsible for having him to even be in that position in the first place," Cobb said of Cantillo. "He's got a really good future ahead of him, and going into bases loaded, Yankee Stadium and in a playoff game, probably not ideal for anybody to have to go into, so I feel for him there.
"But he's going to be fine. He's going to be a big piece for us going forward. … He's accountable, he's a really hard worker, just everything you look for and somebody that's going to have a really long future."
It was without-a-doubt a rough night for Cantillo. Even his first warm-up pitch went to the backstop, and the problems persisted from there. He's also not someone the Guardians are concerned about suffering any ill effects from such an outing.
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"Joey's not a guy I really worry about in terms of confidence or getting his mind back to a right spot," said catcher Bo Naylor . "He wants those moments, whether he comes out on the good end or the bad end, and he always looks for new ways to get better and make adjustments to be able to have better outings moving forward. So we just kind of pick him up, let him know that this team's behind him at all times and just let him take care of the rest."
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Alex Cobb (35) reacts after giving up a solo home run to New York Yankees' Juan Soto (22) during the third inning in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday in New York.
Guardians starter Alex Cobb dealing with hip, back injuries in ALCS
Manager Stephen Vogt said after the game that Cobb was dealing with both hip tightness — Cobb had surgery on that hip last year — and back spasms. It sets up a potential issue moving forward, as in a best-of-seven series, the Guardians are going to need more from their starting pitchers than they got in the ALDS.
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"The tendonitis kind of flares up every once in a while, and sometimes the back will tighten up along with that," Cobb said. "It's something that's tough to pitch with, but [I'm] not going to do any type of damage do it."
The velocity is fine, but the command can become an issue when Cobb has had to deal with this issue while on the mound in the past. The Yankees are a dangerous lineup to pitch against without your top command.
"I've pitched through it quite a bit, so we'll see how the back does with that," Cobb said. "And we'll talk to the trainers and stuff."
Cobb's hip and back are now key factors to watch in this series, and whether Cleveland has to make a roster move.
Oct 14, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) hits a solo home run during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game one of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Brayan Rocchio is a key factor in Guardians postseason lineup
Brayan Roccho is the most important No. 9 hitter left in the postseason.
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Rocchio blasted a no-doubt solo home run in the Game 1 loss, and he now has a hit in all six postseason games, which is tied for the longest streak to start a career in franchise history, joining Lonnie Chisenhall and Jhonny Peralta .
He has come into his own in the postseason and suddenly has given the Guardians a productive bat as they turn the lineup over to Steven Kwan , as Rocchio's hitting .421 with a 1.160 OPS in the playoffs.
Quickly, Rocchio is becoming a key hitter in the lineup and not simply a defensive shortstop sitting at the bottom of the order, hidden away.
"Rocchio's had a great postseason for us offensively and defensively," Vogt said. "He's had a great year defensively, and has really stepped up for us."
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"That's the beauty of this team — we don't stop. Even tonight where it felt like we were out of it, we got the tying run to the plate multiple times. This team doesn't quit, and that's what I love the most about them. I know we're going to come back out tomorrow ready to go and fight like we do."
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians MLB playoffs: Alex Cobb has hip, back issue in ALCS
