Cecconi (8 K’s) makes Guardians debut in style

CINCINNATI — With Ben Lively sidelined indefinitely with a right flexor tendon strain, Slade Cecconi got the first chance to fill the open spot in the Guardians’ starting rotation. The Guardians liked what they saw and then some.

Cecconi, who missed the start of the season due to a left oblique strain, was activated off the 15-day injured list to start in Lively’s turn Saturday night. In his Guardians debut, he allowed three runs on five hits in five-plus innings while striking out eight on 77 pitches, in the Guardians’ 4-1 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

“I don’t think we could ask for much more out of Slade,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “First start with us, first real start since last year, probably. Outstanding job. Gave us a chance to win, kept us in it. I couldn’t have asked for anything more from him.”

The Guardians’ offense scattered eight hits. Daniel Schneemann’s home run in the fifth accounted for their only run.

Cecconi, whom the Guardians acquired from the D-backs for Josh Naylor on Dec. 21, became just the third Cleveland pitcher in franchise history to record eight or more strikeouts and issue zero walks in his team debut. Tanner Bibee (eight strikeouts on April 26, 2023) and Floyd Weaver (eight on Sept. 30, 1962) previously pulled off the feat.

Cecconi said he had some jitters, considering his injury absence and his team debut. But he hid them well.

“It was a mix of excitement and anticipation,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it was nervous energy. It was just a little bit of anxiousness because I’ve been thinking about this one for a while. My oblique issue happened way back in March, and ever since then, it’s been a buildup to this moment.”

The damage Cecconi allowed was limited to two moments. He gave up a homer to Will Benson to lead off the fifth, and a double to TJ Friedl and an RBI single to Santiago Espinal to start the sixth, which marked the end of his outing. Espinal scored on an Austin Hays double off Cade Smith.

There was a lot to like about the outing otherwise. Cecconi featured a six-pitch mix: slider, sinker, four-seamer, curveball, cutter and changeup. The sinker is a new addition to his arsenal.

“It’s a fun pitch now that I have it, because it’s an area that I identified last year,” Cecconi said. “Guys were really taking advantage of my four-seam because I was throwing it so much. Just having something that separates a little bit from it and also has that banana split effect with the slider, it’s nice.”

The four-seam was still effective. In the first inning, Cecconi got Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz to fall into a 1-2 count after he swung through one heater and foul-tipped another. Cecconi fired another four-seamer to De La Cruz, a 98.3 mph offering at the top of the zone, which he swung through to strike out.

Cecconi generated 15 whiffs on 39 swings (38%), both his second-most in a start behind his outing against the A’s on June 28 last year (19, 41.3%).

“I just let that one go, I’m not going to lie,” Cecconi said of the heater De La Cruz struck out on. “I saw the first two swing and misses, and I was like, ‘All right, well, no reason to do anything different. Just put a little more mustard on it.’”

Vogt noted pregame Saturday that Lively is set to receive an additional opinion on his forearm injury on Tuesday this coming week, with renowned orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister. The Guardians want to make sure they’re checking every box and do what’s best for the 33-year-old.

The earliest Lively is eligible to return from the IL is May 28, but Cleveland will surely be cautious with him even in the best-case scenario. That means Cecconi could make at least one more start.

“Obviously we need to fill that position, and Slade did a great job,” Vogt said. “We’re always going to be considering options. And when you lose someone like Ben Lively, it’s next person up. And Slade took that opportunity and ran with it tonight.”

Cecconi is wishing the best for Lively, first and foremost.

“I’m wishing that he’s healthy as soon as possible, and he’s back helping us,” Cecconi said. “I’m just focusing on being the best version of me, not focusing on anybody else — and hoping that all my teammates are healthy and doing great.”