Thomas’ slam puts Guardians by Tigers, into ALCS
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Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer
CLEVELAND — Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas understands moments like the one presented to him in Game 5 of the AL Division Series on Saturday don’t happen often when an ace like Tarik Skubal of the Tigers is on the mound.
Skubal had stymied Cleveland hitters throughout yet another brilliant outing but finally ran into trouble in the fifth inning of the decisive contest between AL Central foes. After Skubal hit Jose Ramirez with a pitch to bring home the tying run, Thomas stepped up to the plate against the likely AL Cy Young Award winner with the bases loaded.
The crowd at Progressive Field finally began to stir after a sleepy first few innings on offense for the home team. Its mood changed in one swing.
“You dream of at-bats like that as a little kid, and to do it on this stage, in this game, and to come through for the guys in the clubhouse, it feels awesome,” Thomas said after hitting a Skubal 97 mph fastball 396 feet to left field for a grand slam. “About the third inning I was talking with some guys, and I’m like, ‘Whatever we’re doing doesn’t seem to be working. We have to put the ball in play.'”
Thomas’ slam propelled the Guardians to a 5-1 lead in an eventual 7-3 triumph. He became the fourth player in MLB postseason history to hit a go-ahead grand slam in a winner-take-all game, according to ESPN Research.
After Cleveland advanced to the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees, teammates heaped praise on Thomas during a champagne-and-cigar-filled celebration inside their clubhouse.
“He’s a great ballplayer,” Josh Naylor said of Thomas, who was acquired in a July trade with the Nationals. “I knew that before we picked him up.”
Ramirez added: “When I got hit, I just knew he would come through. I knew he would.”
The home run was hit 2 feet farther than his first-inning blast in Game 1, a 7-0 win, cementing Thomas as the hero of the series. He has come a long way since the trade considering he hit just .111 with a .197 OBP in his first 20 games with his new team.
“We paid a steep price [three prospects] to get him but hopefully it was to lead to moments like this,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said while wiping his eyes of champagne. “He’s a complete baseball player.”
Thomas just needed to get his “feet under him,” according to Cleveland hitting coach Chris Valaika.
“We went through a little evolution with him,” Valaika said. “Once he became one of the guys here, he we fine.”
No matter how he was feeling, facing Skubal was a daunting task. Until he hit Ramirez with the bases loaded, the 27-year-old left-hander had thrown 17 scoreless innings in the postseason, including seven against Cleveland in Game 2. There was no solving him to that point, but Valaika at least wanted his hitters to remember one thing: “Don’t be late on that first fastball.”
Thomas made sure of that and instantly changed the course of the game. His home run helped manager Stephen Vogt navigate his bullpen a bit easier after he removed starter Matthew Boyd after just two innings.
“There were a couple times that we had to kind of go off the script, but at the same time, it was watch the game, see what the game is telling us to do,” Vogt said.
Eventually, the ball landed in closer Emmanuel Clase‘s hand for a potential six-out save. The AL saves leader had been burned for a three-run homer by Tigers designated hitter Kerry Carpenter in Game 2, then was touched for another run in a Guardians win in Game 4.
But Saturday it was time for some redemption.
He struck out Carpenter on an epic eight-pitch at-bat with a runner on in the eighth inning — then stared him down. Seven of the eight pitches he threw were at least 100 mph.
“It went from 100 to 150,” Clase said through an interpreter of his intensity. “I’m a competitor. That was in my mind. That wasn’t my best pitch [in Game 2]. People were saying, ‘He’s my daddy.’ That’s the real Emmanuel Clase. … Even when he was on deck, I kept staring at him because that was my moment. This made it even for us.”
Clase got his moment and a few more as he shut the door in the ninth inning, putting an end to a wholly entertaining five-game series.
“This was an incredible series,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “It’s great for baseball. It’s great for the AL Central.”
And it was great for Thomas, who shook off early struggles to become a Cleveland hero. His home run off one of the best pitchers in baseball has his team four wins from the Fall Classic.
“Definitely had some struggles those first two weeks, or maybe even the month,” Thomas said. “But I’m just thankful they kind of hung with me and let me get my feet under me and kept giving me at-bats. You just have to be thankful for that.”
Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.
Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.
The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.
If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.
Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.
“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”
Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.
“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”
Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.
The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.
“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”
The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.
Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.
The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”
Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.
San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.
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