CLEVELAND -- The Guardians reached the quarter mark of the 2025 season on Sunday, in a 3-0 loss to the Phillies at Progressive Field in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Sunday’s loss snapped a streak of three straight series victories for Cleveland (23-17), which has continued to play strong baseball. Since opening the season 3-6 on a nine-game road trip, the Guardians are 20-11 and have won seven of 10 series.
Here are a few takeaways from this weekend’s matchup with the Phillies.
Ortiz continues to make strides
Luis Ortiz turned in a strong performance on Sunday against a good Phillies lineup. He allowed one run (a Kyle Schwarber solo homer) on four hits and two walks in six innings and struck out nine, one shy of a season high.
“Louie was outstanding -- really, really good,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Outside of the solo homer, not a whole lot of hard contact. Just made pitches, got ahead. The times he did get in trouble, he was falling behind, but he made really good pitches to get back into it.”
Ortiz entered Sunday with a 5.30 ERA in 37 1/3 innings over seven starts this season, but that was not entirely reflective of how he has pitched. Twelve of the 22 earned runs he allowed over that span came in two starts: his March 31 season debut against the Padres (seven in 4 2/3 innings) and Tuesday against the Nationals (five in 5 1/3 innings).
In five starts between those outings, Ortiz posted a 3.29 ERA (10 earned runs allowed in 27 1/3 innings). Sunday was in line with what we’ve seen, by and large, from him with Cleveland.
“I think it’s a combination of three things,” Ortiz said through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “The work that you put in, the focus that you give after every outing and especially the confidence. All of those things are building up to be where I am right now.”
Guardians catcher Bo Naylor noted that Ortiz’s preparation before starts has continuously gotten better.
“The way that he's preparing and getting ready,” Naylor said, “understanding how we're attacking the hitters, diving into ways to just continuously put himself in a spot to go out there and execute. It's all been coming together really, really well.”
Rocchio sits
Brayan Rocchio did not play in any of the three games against Philadelphia. The 24-year-old has had a challenging start to the season offensively, holding a .165/.235/.198 slash line in 35 games. He went 0-for-16 on the road trip vs. the Blue Jays and Nationals.
Gabriel Arias started each game at shortstop vs. the Phillies.
“I think with Roch right now, he's just not himself,” Vogt said on Saturday. “He's having a hard time understanding what he's trying to do right now at the plate. We're working hard with him, and he's just gotten off to a tough start, and it's hard. We're working with him every day. He's working really hard in the cages with the hitting team and trying to get back on track.”
While Rocchio has been working through things, Arias and Daniel Schneemann have helped hold down the middle infield for the Guardians. Arias has a .735 OPS in 38 games and Schneemann has an .888 OPS in 30 games.
Clase getting back on track
After struggling in April, Emmanuel Clase has put together a strong stretch recently, including since he returned from a bout with right shoulder discomfort late last month. Over his past seven appearances, he has a 1.29 ERA.
Clase reported the shoulder issue to the Guardians following his 30-pitch appearance against the Pirates on April 20, which was his third outing in as many days. He got five days off before his next appearance, in the eighth inning on April 26 against the Red Sox. Including that outing, he’s allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk in seven innings with eight strikeouts.
In 11 appearances prior to that stretch, Clase had a 7.84 ERA while allowing nine runs (all earned) on 20 hits and three walks in 10 1/3 innings, with nine strikeouts.
“He's good enough to do his ‘rehab assignment’ in the eighth inning of a one-run game,” Vogt said Saturday. “And so right after that, he's been back in the closer role. Like I said, he's the closer, and he's been in the closer role other than the one game that he needed to have his ‘rehab assignment.’ And then he's right back at it, and he's been special.”