Minnesota Twins’ Ryan Jeffers (27) reacts after striking out during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)
The Cleveland Guardians are returning home for a unique home opener that promises to be extraordinary. They also received an extra day of rest due to the rain postponing the series finale against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.
The Guardians were getting ready to arrive at Progressive Field early on Monday in preparation for their 2024 home opener against the Chicago White Sox. This year’s game holds extra significance due to the total solar eclipse that will be visible in Cleveland, making it a particularly special event.
“Everything’s going to be buzzing,” manager Stephen Vogt said.
Schedule Adjustments
The schedule for the Guardians-Twins game has been adjusted to include a split doubleheader on August 9th at 1:10 p.m. The originally scheduled game at 7:10 p.m. will now be part of a four-game series.
Vogt stated that although they wanted to continue playing, it is beneficial to have a day off to rest and relax. The announcement came three hours before the scheduled first pitch at Target Field, due to rain forecasted for the afternoon and evening.
Current Standings
The Guardians (7-2) are currently leading the Detroit Tigers by a half-game in the AL Central as of Sunday. Both the Guardians and the Twins have decided to delay their pitching rotations by one day. Triston McKenzie will be starting for Cleveland against the White Sox, with Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee to follow.
Currently, the Guardians are leading the AL Central after their pitchers performed well against the Twins, winning 3-1 on Saturday and 4-2 on Friday. They only allowed nine hits and recorded 29 strikeouts in the two games.
Player Updates
This is especially a positive news considering that Shane Bieber, the team’s top pitcher, will be undergoing season-ending surgery soon. The Twins (3-4) will face the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani in a three-game series starting on Monday, with Bailey Ober, Louie Varland, and Chris Paddack as their starting pitchers.
Upcoming Challenges
Ohtani and the successful Dodgers will pose a tough challenge, but the upcoming series holds special significance for Varland. His older brother, Gus Varland, is a reliever for the Dodgers who recently joined the team for their trip to their home state.
Both Varland brothers have connections to Concordia University in St. Paul and North St. Paul High School, which are located near Target Field. Moreover, many relatives and friends will be in attendance at the ballpark to witness the brothers play together on the major league field for the first time.
“They’re absolutely loving it. We might have hundreds of people here,” the younger Varland said on Sunday. “It’s going to be a party.”
