Padres on deck: Guardians looking to ice Friars’ hot start

Monday: 6:40 p.m. (Padres.TV)
Tuesday: 6:40 p.m. (Padres.TV)
Wednesday: 1:10 p.m. (Padres.TV)

In the standings

Cleveland Guardians (2-1, 2nd in AL Central)

The Guardians took two of three over the weekend in Kansas City, outscoring the Royals by six runs in the season-opening series. Cleveland is coming off a 92-win season and a push into the ALCS, where the Guardians lost in five games to the Yankees.

San Diego Padres (4-0, 2nd in NL West)

The Padres outscored the Braves by 10 runs in a four-game sweep to start the season, although all that got them is a half-game deficit behind the 5-0 Dodgers. The Padres took two of three in Cleveland last year to start what became the best second half in baseball.

Pitching matchups

Monday

Guardians RHP Luis L. Ortiz (2025 debut) | The 26-year-old is making his Cleveland debut after arriving in December as part of a three-team deal with the Pirates and Blue Jays. Ortiz had a 3.93 ERA in three seasons in Pittsburgh, a 3.32 ERA over a career-high 135⅔ innings last year and has a 5.74 ERA in three career starts against the Padres. He allowed six runs in 11 innings last year against San Diego.
Padres LHP Kyle Hart (2025 debut) | He’s returning to the majors for the first time since 2020 after winning the top pitching award in Korea last year, when he struck out 182 over 157 innings (2.69 ERA). The COVID-shortened season relegated schedules to regional play, so Hart has no history with Cleveland or anyone on the Guardians roster.

Tuesday

Guardians LHP Logan Allen (2025 debut) | The 26-year-old’s ERA ballooned from 3.81 as a rookie in 2023 to 5.73 over 97⅓ innings last year. Allen — and not the Logan Allen whom the Padres traded to Cleveland in 2019 — allowed five runs on four hits and four walks in three innings in a start in 2023.
Padres RHP Michael King (0-0, 10.13 ERA) | He could not get out of the third inning in his opening-day start, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks in 2⅔ innings in a no-decision. King has an 0.51 ERA in 17⅔ career innings against the Guardians, which includes striking out six over seven innings of one-run ball in a win last July.

Wednesday

Guardians RHP Ben Lively (0-0, 5.40 ERA) | He drew the opening-day start when Tanner Bibee fell ill. Lively allowed three runs in five innings in a no-decision. His only appearance against the Padres is a start last year in Cleveland, when he allowed two runs on six hits and two walks in 5⅓ innings.
Padres RHP Dylan Cease (0-0, 6.23 ERA) | He pitched into the fifth inning in his first start, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks. Cease struck out seven. The former White Sox ace has extensive history with Cleveland, posting a 3.57 ERA and striking out 67 over 70⅔ innings (1.30 WHIP) over 13 career starts. That includes 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings of one-hit ball last July in Cleveland.

Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase, left, and catcher Bo Naylor celebrate after their baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Returning 2025 clubhouse leaders

OPS: Guardians — DH Kyle Manzardo (1.844), OF Steven Kwan (1.371), INF Gabriel Arias (1.208); Padres — OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (1.262), OF Jackson Merrill (1.005), SS Xander Bogaerts (.922).
Homers: Guardians — Manzardo (2), three tied with 1; Padres — Tatis (1), DH Gavin Sheets (1), 2B Jake Cronenworth (1).
RBIs: Guardians — Manzardo (6), Kwan (3), Arias (2); Padres — Merrill (5), three tied with 2.
Steals: Guardians — none; Padres — Tatis (3), Bogaerts (2), 3B Manny Machado (2).
Saves: Guardians — RHP Paul Sewald (1, 10.80 ERA); Padres — RHP Robert Suarez (2, 0.00 ERA), LHP Adrián Morejón (1, 0.00 ERA).
Holds: Guardians — RHP Hunter Gaddis (2, 0.00 ERA), RHP Cade Smith (2, 0.00 ERA), LHP Tim Herrin (1, 0.00 ERA); Padres — RHP Jason Adam (2, 0.00 ERA), RHP Alek Jacob (1, 5.40 ERA).

Training room

Cleveland: 3B Jose Ramirez exited Saturday’s game with a right wrist sprain and did not start Sunday, although he is day-to-day and could return to the lineup Monday. C/OF David Fry won’t return from his UCL revision until later this summer, while the pitching staff is without LHP Erik Sabrowski (elbow), RHP Slade Cecconi (oblique), RHP Shane Bieber (UCL), RHP Trevor Stephan (UCL), LHP John Means (UCL) and LHP Sam Hentges (shoulder).
San Diego: RHP Yu Darvish (elbow) is back to catch play but not yet throwing off a mound. RHPs Bryan Hoeing (shoulder), Jhony Brito (forearm), Matt Waldron (oblique) and Sean Reynolds (foot) are also on the 15-day injured list alongside Darvish.