Three Observations From Guardians Victory Over Phillies, 4-3

A combination of Jhonkensy Noel and stellar pitching fuels the Cleveland Guardians past the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3.

Jul 13, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Cleveland Guardians outfielder Jhonkensy Noel (43) runs the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians have left the City of Brotherly Love with a critical 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, giving the team their first series victory since the All-Star break.

Here are three observations and takeaways from the Guardians’ latest victory.

Joey Cantillo Shows Promise in MLB Debut

After a rough performance from Carlos Carrasco on Saturday night, the Guardians' rotation regained momentum from a fresh arm: Joey Cantillo.

The 24-year-old made his major-league debut Sunday afternoon and displayed tons of promise against a heavy-hitting Phillies lineup. Despite giving up two home runs to Kyle Schwarber, Cantillo managed to keep the rest of the Philadelphia lineup to no runs on one hit in 3.1 innings of work.

Cleveland has been known for finding starting pitching help within the team's farm system, and it looks to be the case with Cantillo. The left-handed arm will most likely find himself back on the mound for the Guardians in the near future.

Guardians Bullpen Remains Lights-Out

Can we give the Cy Young Award to the Guardians' bullpen?

When a team's starting pitcher only goes for 3.1 innings, it usually becomes a tough task for the bullpen to keep the game in check. This was not the case for the Cleveland pitching staff, as Cade Smith was able to set the tone early with his three-strikeout performance in 1.2 innings pitched.

Between the six Guardians relievers that pitched in Sunday's contest, the group allowed one hit while striking out six batters. If the Guardians fail to acquire a starting pitcher at the trade deadline, the team at least has a reliable bullpen to help win ballgames.

Christmas in July

It only makes sense that Guardians' Jhonkensy Noel would come alive during the month of July.

Noel was the spark plug for the Guardians' lineup in the final game of the series against the Phillies, as the right-handed power hitter went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer in the top of the fourth inning.

This offensive explosion from Cleveland's so-called "Santa Claus" may be the start of a new chapter in Noel's career. In his last six games, Noel has gone 6-for-21 with two home runs and four RBI. The 23-year-old is still developing as a true major-league hitter, but Noel has continued to improve on his plate discipline while being productive.