Guardians blow out White Sox as playoff picture comes into focus

Guardians 8, White Sox 2

Box Score | CTC Recap | MLB Recap | Game Thread

There’s still work to be done for the Guardians, but they did what they needed to last night by smoking the White Sox early and often. Steven Kwan’s ascension continued, and he even showed some power with a late home run. Meanwhile, Triston McKenzie and Josh Naylor will be the nightmares of Sox fans all offseason.

McKenzie twirled a gem, striking out 13 White Sox batters and walking none over his eight innings. Josh Naylor, meanwhile, put the dagger into the game and maybe Chicago’s season with a seventh-inning home run.

Cleveland Guardians news

Myles Straw is back on track in September | Away Back Gone
Stellar defense and a great bat? The kind of Myles Straw the Guardians have seen in September is a dangerous, dangerous thing. Including last night’s game — which occurred after the Away Back Gone article — Straw is slashing .333/.392/.417 with four doubles and a triple. His 135 wRC+ in September is third among Cleveland’s regulars, and he’s struck out 11.4% of the time.

Triston McKenzie’s dominant performance puts him in rarefied air in Cleveland history | Akron Beacon Journal

Triston McKenzie has removed all doubt that he can be a star pitcher. Last night was his fourth career outing with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks. If you stretch it to McKenzie’s full performance (13 strikeouts, no walks), he’s the first pitcher in Cleveland history to do that more than two times. He’s done it three times in his last 13 starts.

Here’s how Terry Francona will make Will Brennan, Gabriel Arias fit: Guardians takeaways | Cleveland
One particularly interesting thing Terry Francona said with regards to Will Brennan and Gabriel Arias getting the call yesterday:

“Three or four weeks ago we were saying, ‘OK, this would be our best roster — Brennan and Arias,’” said manager Terry Francona. “But Chris (Antonetti, president of baseball operations) said, ‘OK, but where do you play them?’”

They clearly knew for a while that Brennan and Arias were upgrades on the fringes of the roster, but felt both would be better with more playing time. Fair. I’d say everything has worked out so far.

Will Brennan on how he found out he was coming up to the big leagues | Twitter
More call-up stories forever, please.

Around the league

• Dayton Moore is out as Royals president of baseball operations.
• Jarred Kelenic is getting another shot with the Mariners.
• Aaron Judge is going to be a rich(er) man this offseason.
• The Twins are utterly deflated.
• Former Guardians prospect J.P. Feyereisen on finishing the season with a 0.00 ERA.
• Blake Snell had a no-hitter through seven until a wild Albert appeared.
• Braves can’t decide which of their superstar rookies should get NL ROTY.
• Randy Arozarena and Yandy Diaz had a tussle.
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. will play for Great Britain in next year’s WBC.