Joey

Cantillo

Cantillo gave up nine hits, walked two and struck out seven. He fell to 4-3 with the loss. Cantillo entered the game with a 3.92 ERA and a 4.64 xFIP. After allowing seven earned runs, his ERA is 4.57. It’s a tough break for fantasy managers that 11 of the 34 runs Cantillo has allowed this year came in his last two starts, but given his xFIP this feels like him pitching to his true talent level. He’s off the fantasy radar for his next start against the Tigers at home next weekend.

The Guardians let Cantillo off the hook by scoring nine runs tonight. They’re now 10-3 in Cantillo’s starts, though Cantillo’s record is just 4-2 and this makes three times in four starts that he’s allowed four runs. Getting to work with Patrick Bailey has yet to be much of a boon for him. In fact, he has better ERAs in his two starts with David Fry (1.86) and four with Bo Naylor (3.54) this year than in his four with Austin Hedges (3.98) and three with Bailey (6.17). He’ll face the Rangers on Sunday.

Cantillo gave up a two-run homer to James Wood in a four-run second, but the bigger problem was the four walks. He threw 29 pitches in the first and 40 in the second before being removed. Cantillo has walked 11 over 12 2/3 innings in his last three starts, and his walk rate is up to 12.6 percent for the season. He’s in such a nice situation in Cleveland that it seems worth sticking with him, but he definitely needs to get better about the free passes. He’s a risky play in Yankee Stadium next time out.

This one seemed poised for a different outcome early, but Cantillo was able to strand the bases loaded in a 32-pitch first inning and he allowed just three more baserunners the rest of the way. He ended the outing having allowed only two hard-hit balls and sporting a 32 percent CSW. Cantillo, who was working with Patrick Bailey for the first time today, moved to 4-1 with a 3.05 ERA, and the Guardians are 9-2 in his starts. It’d be nice if he were more efficient — he might have a couple more of those victories — but he’s proving useful anyway. He’ll face the Nationals on Tuesday.

Three of the runs came in the fifth, which started with a bunt single, a sac bunt and then walks to three of the next four batters. Spencer Steer followed with a two-run double on which Sal Stewart was thrown out at home to the inning. That ended Cantillo’s evening at 87 pitches. He has a nice 3.40 ERA, but he has gone six innings just twice all year. He also has an ugly 11/11 K/BB in four starts this month after coming in at 34/13 in his first six outings. He’ll face the Tigers next week.

Cantillo was able to cruise to a relatively easy win, scattering five hits and one walk over six frames, after Cleveland’s offense staked him to a one-touchdown lead by the fourth inning. He finished with four strikeouts and consistently pounded the zone, throwing 63 of 93 pitches for strikes. The 26-year-old lefty has allowed just one run combined over his previous two outings and holds a solid 2.98 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 41/20 K/BB ratio across 45 1/3 innings over nine starts. He’ll wrap up a two-start week with a favorable home matchup against the Reds on Sunday.

This was certainly one of the starts of all time. Facing a lineup of almost all right-handed hitters, his changeup was very inconsistent. It still forced six of his seven total swings-and-misses, but couldn’t carry him like he needed it to. Still, it’s not like any other pitch found its way to being effective either and the Guardians decided to give him a quick hook with just 70 pitches over five innings. He’ll take a 3.43 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 37:19 strikeout to walk ratio over 39 1/3 innings into a two-start week against the Angels and Reds.

Cantillo gave up two runs in the first and two in the fourth prior to his early exit after 69 pitches. It’s the first time this season that he’s given up four earned runs. Cantillo still has a nice 3.67 ERA, but because of his inability to work deep into games, he’s stuck on one win, even though the Guardians, who prevailed tonight, are 5-2 in his starts. It a big problem in terms of amassing fantasy value, but he still rates as a pretty good play against the Royals next week.

Cantillo kept the Blue Jays off the board through three frames until Kazuma Okamoto took him deep for a solo blast to lead off the fourth. He tossed a scoreless fifth, then allowed the first two batters to reach in the sixth, ending his day at 89 pitches. Both inherited runners would come in to score, diminishing an otherwise solid day on the mound. He scattered six hits in all and issued one walk with four strikeouts. The 26-year-old left-hander will take a 3.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and a 34/13 K/BB ratio across 30 1/3 innings into a start against the Athletics in Sacramento on Friday.

On the plus side, the 26-year-old southpaw did rack up six strikeouts on the afternoon while issuing three free passes. All of the damage done against him came in the fifth inning, with Taylor Ward’s three-run blast the biggest blow against him. Cantillo got 11 swings and misses on 89 pitches on the day — six of those on his changeup — while posting a CSW of 25 percent. He now holds a 3.20 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 30/12 K/BB ratio over 25 1/3 innings through his first five starts. He’ll try to get back in the win column when he does battle against the Blue Jays in Toronto on Saturday.