After taking two of three games against against the Twins in Minneapolis this week, the Cleveland Guardians have delivered another punch to Minnesota’s gut by signing three of the most coveted pitchers on MLB’s waiver wire.
Starting pitcher Lucas Giolito, right-handed reliever Reynaldo Lopez and lefty reliever Matt Moore were all awarded to the Guardians Thursday.
Source confirms: Guardians get Matt Moore in addition to Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López. First: @JeffPassan, @kileymcd
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 31, 2023
All three were among players waived by the free-falling Los Angeles Angels this week. Darren Wolfson reported on SKOR North earlier Thursday that Lopez and Moore could be arms the Twins were attempting to secure via waivers.
The waiver wire provides teams with the worst records the first chance to claim players, so the Guardians getting Giolito, Lopez and Moore is a clear sign that they’re not interested in handing the AL Central Division to the Twins. Entering play Thursday, Minnesota leads the division by five games over the Guardians.
Had Minnesota not blown a 2-1 lead with two outs in the ninth inning Wednesday they would be up seven games with 28 to play. Instead, Cleveland was given life and they’re taking full advantage in what could be manager Terry Francona’s final year in baseball.
The Cleveland Guardians are 64-70 … but just five games back of Minnesota in the American League Central. And now they will add Lucas Giolito for the final month to a rotation that has a historically excellent group of rookies in Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams and Logan Allen.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 31, 2023
This is a wild development that puts the Twins on notice ahead of a tough weekend series against the Rangers in Texas followed by three critical games between the Twins and Guardians in Cleveland next week.
Minnesota has the upper hand and is on the verge of getting Byron Buxton, Alex Kirilloff and Willi Castro back from injuries, but Cleveland swiping Lopez and Moore is a crushing blow because both players would’ve been boons to a struggling Twins bullpen.
Giolito struggled after being traded from Chicago to the Angels, but in three starts against the Twins this season he’s allowed just two runs in 18 innings.
Lopez has a 3.93 ERA this season but in 22 innings since June 27 he boasts a 2.05 ERA. Moore has a 2.66 ERA in 41 innings of relief this season, though it’s worth noting that he earned-run average was a stingy 1.58 just a week ago before allowing six runs over his last four appearances.
Cleveland has 28 games left with an opponents strength of schedule of .510. The Twins also have 28 games to go and their opponents’ combined winning percentage is .459, which gives Minnesota the upper hand with the fourth easiest remaining schedule in the majors.
