CLEVELAND — The Guardians finished a forgettable June with another loss at Progressive Field Sunday, June 29.
The St. Louis Cardinals recorded a 7-0 win to leave Cleveland with a three-game sweep and drop the Guardians record to 40-42 overall and 9-16 in June.
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Summer baseball has not been memorable so far in Cleveland, especially after the Guardians went 1-5 on this homestand with two three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cardinals.
The Guardians were shutout for the third time in the past four games and the ninth time overall this season, which is third-most in the American League behind only the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers with 10 apiece.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt welcomes an off day Monday, June 30 and remains confident in his players.
“I believe in this team,” Vogt said Sunday. “I believe we have the right players. I believe our guys are talented, phenomenal baseball players. My confidence never shakes in this group. We’re going through a tough stretch. We went through tough stretches last year. We’ve been through good stretches, bad stretches already this year.
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“So, this is just part of a 162-game season. We’ve got 13 games in a row coming up after this off day. We have an opportunity to get it rolling and that’s the way I look at it. This is a really talented team. I believe in each and every one of these guys, and I know we’re going to break out of it.”
The next opportunity to break out is Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Jun 9, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt (12) walks back to the dugout after a pitching change during the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Guardians lone win on this homestand was a 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays Wednesday, June 25 when José Ramírez hit a walk-off RBI single in 10 innings.
The Guardians have scored in just one of the club’s last 36 innings (a six-run fourth inning in a 9-6 loss Saturday, June 28 to the Cardinals). Seven of the Guards nine shutouts have been in the past 31 games since May 25 with the team going 11-20. The club was shutout twice in the first 51 games through May 24 and posted a 29-22 record to start the season.
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“Keep pushing them,” Vogt said. “Stay the course. As soon as we start changing things, that means we don’t believe. We haven’t changed a thing. We believe in this group. We’re going to turn it around.”
Cardinals pitchers Matthew Liberatore, JoJo Romero, Riley O’Brien and John King combined to shutout the Guardians on Sunday. Liberatore struck out five, walked five and allowed three hits over six innings.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – JUNE 27: Manager Stephen Vogt #12 of the Cleveland Guardians argues a strike call with home plate umpire John Bacon during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Progressive Field on June 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
“You do the same thing you do everyday,” Guardians catcher Austin Hedges said Sunday. “Nothing changes whether you’re playing good, playing bad. Just same guy every day.”
Guardians starter Logan Allen pitched six innings Sunday after allowing a three-run home run to Nolan Gorman in the first. He struck out six, walked two and allowed six hits before giving way to Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin, Matt Festa and Emmanuel Clase. Gaddis gave up a two-run home run to Victor Scott II in the seventh.
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The Guardians starting rotation finished June with a 3.61 ERA (58 earned runs in 144⅔ innings), the fourth-best ERA in the American League and the sixth-best in Major League Baseball. The 144⅔ innings by the starters is second in the AL and fourth in MLB.
Jun 11, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Logan Allen (26) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
“We got a clubhouse full of pros,” Allen said Sunday. “I think we just show up to the field every day ready to play, ready to work hard. The wins and losses are going to come. We’re going to start playing some better ball, but all in all, the approach is good. I think the process is good. We’re going about our work the same way every day and sometimes the balls are going to go our way. It’s coming up.”
Allen’s comments followed what Guardians right fielder Nolan Jones said Saturday, June 28.
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“We have the arms to compete against anybody and have some guys who have been swinging it well and some guys like myself who haven’t been contributing a ton,” Jones said. “We know it’s in there and just got to keep believing and pushing.”
Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians conclude month of June with another shutout loss