Cleveland Guardians Announce ALDS Game 3 Starting Pitcher

The Cleveland Guardians had a difficult decision looming before the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox began, and well before the reigning American League Central champion found itself down 0-2 in the series to their division rival.

The dilemma was deciding who would take the ball in Game 3 as the series shifted to Chicago's South Side.

We now know the answer. Manager Stephen Vogt said Wednesday afternoon that Cleveland will hand the ball to Daniel Espino as the Guardians look to fend off elimination on Wednesday night.

The decision requires some context, though, because Espino won’t be pitching into the fifth or sixth inning as Parker Messick and Gavin Williams did in the previous two games.

Beginning in the middle of September, Cleveland started to use Daniel Espino as an opener, someone who could pitch one or two innings and hand the ball off to another arm out of the bullpen to eat up the majority of the innings.

The early returns on Espino’s role as an opener have been mixed, but largely positive.

Cleveland is putting a lot of faith in the rookie arm as it looks to extend its season. That said, the Guardians are putting Espino in a role where he has had success.

He made three appearances as Cleveland’s pseudo-starter, tossing four innings and giving up three earned runs (all off a three-run home run) for a 6.75 ERA. Espino also has a five-strikeout rate and an opponent batting average of .143 in this role.

In a best-case scenario, the Guardians would love to have Espino pitch two innings before turning the ball over to the bullpen, and that’s where another decision will arise for Cleveland: Who on the pitching staff will follow Espino?

When the Guardians used Espino as an opener earlier in the season, Joey Cantillo was the pitcher to take the ball after him, and this was a role the southpaw excelled in. Cantillo pitched in three games as a rookie and didn't allow a run, with 17 strikeouts in that role. 

However, Cantillo won’t be Cleveland’s only option on Wednesday. Tanner Bibee hasn’t pitched since Saturday, September 26; Foster Griffin can also provide length, and Slade Cecconi is in a similar position.

The Guardians have options, and deciding who takes the ball second will be just as important as determining who gets the ball first.

With how the series has been going and Cleveland's inability to generate any sort of offense, how effective the Guardians' pitching staff is on the mound could be the key