Three Observations From Cleveland Guardians Loss To Orioles, 9-5

The Cleveland Guardians split the recent four game series against the Baltimore Orioles after Sunday's loss, 9-5.

Aug 4, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor (22) tosses his bat after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports / David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports

After winning the first two games of the series, the Cleveland Guardians split the series against the Baltimore Orioles after dropping the final two games.

Here are some of the biggest observations from Sunday's contest:

Rough Outing For Gavin Williams

Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams is slowly coming back to earth after his pervious two-game stretch against the Detroit Tigers.

The young right-handed pitcher gave up six runs on eight hits and two home runs in only four innings of work. Sunday's start versus the Orioles was easily William's worst start of the season, as Baltimore's six runs was the most he's given up in 2024.

Despite his struggles, Williams did manage to tally seven strikeouts, which demonstrates that he still has his best stuff. Now, the 25-year-old will have to show more consistency against good teams.

Guardians' "Big Three" Can't Do It All On Offense

Outside of Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez, and Josh Naylor, Cleveland's lineup could not produce in Sunday's contest.

Cleveland's trio of bats accounted for six of the team's 10 hits, along with four of the five runs scored. Both Lane Thomas and David Fry went hitless against Baltimore, while Thomas racked up three strikeouts.

Andres Gimenez was the only exception, as he finished the day with a solid 2-for-4 performance. But the point remains: the Cleveland Guardians need to find other hitters to step up in critical games.

Connor Gillispie Shows Promise in MLB Debut

Manager Stephen Vogt may have found another bullpen piece in reliever Connor Gillispie.

The 26-year-old rookie gave up one run in three innings of work, while striking out three batters. The bullpen has been dominant all season, but Sunday's game proved you can never have too many pitchers in the bullpen.

With Emmanuel Clase and Cade Smith getting a two-game break, it was great to see Gillispie eat up innings while displaying his ability to pitch extended innings.