[jksander]

September 12, 2025: Noah Schultz (7-4, 3.24 ERA, 94.1 IP, 92 K’s, 1.03 WHIP) pitched against Gavin Williams (11-11, 4.09 ERA, 156.1 IP, 164 K’s, 1.31 WHIP), and it was a bloodbath after we took an initial 2-0 lead in the top of the second thanks to a two-run Valenzuela homer. After that, the Guardians scored six unanswered runs across the second, third and fourth innings, and we’d go on to lose this one 6-2, handing Schultz his fifth loss of the season in one of his worst starts of his young career -- seven hits, six runs and just two strikeouts through five innings. We matched them on hits with nine, with Valenzuela’s two-run homer our only offense.

September 13, 2025: Ryan Weber (6-9, 4.11 ERA, 140.0 IP, 77 K’s, 1.29 WHIP) faced Tanner Bibee (11-9, 3.41 ERA, 182.1 IP, 199 K’s, 1.15 WHIP) in game two, and in the bottom of the fifth Weber got shellacked, giving up four runs with just one out as we had to pull him for Shane Smith after what had been an incredibly quiet game to that point. It certainly got no better from there, and the Guardians put us to bed quietly as we lost 6-0. Weber fell to 6-10, allowing five hits and four runs with three walks and a pair of K’s in his 4.1 innings of work ... they only outhit us 8-7, but in this case eight was enough (okay, one more pun like that and I’ll fire myself). Brooks Lee led us with two hits to nowhere, but had to leave the game late with an undisclosed injury. Here’s hoping it’s not serious.

September 14, 2025: We’ve moved Lee to the IL with his injury still “undetermined,” and went into tonight’s final game against the Guardians with Sean Burke (6-14, 4.86 ERA, 137.0 IP, 151 K’s, 1.41 WHIP) pitching against Bryce Miller (9-7, 4.71 ERA, 149.0 IP, 142 K’s, 1.31 WHIP) who has done next to nothing for Cleveland since the Mariners traded him in early July. Cleveland got a run in the bottom of the fourth and we answered with one in the fifth, and Merryweather took over in the bottom of the sixth still tied 1-1. He got one out but gave up five runs as we got completely reamed, and the Guardians took the opportunity to crush us in the end as we lost 6-1 in a series sweep. Burke allowed five hits with a walk and six strikeouts in his five innings, allowing just the one run, but Merryweather took the loss while allowing five hits and five runs with a strikeout in a much smaller pitching window. Cleveland hammered us 12-2 on hits, and even adding on our three walks it was a rout we’d made look closer than it was. Only Terrell Tatum did anything offensively with a hit and an RBI, and we’ll return to Chicago to face Baltimore with our spirits about as low as you can get ... we just have to get though these last couple weeks and can then focus on the offseason and making this team better for 2026.