Chicago Cubs at Cleveland Guardians

With how their schedule is aligned, the Guardians knew entering this season they would be tested early and often. Cleveland’s opponents through April include a bevy of playoff hopefuls, including a 10-game stretch to open the season against the Mariners, Dodgers and Cubs. “This whole first month is going to show us where we are, because we're playing playoff baseball in April,” starting pitcher Slade Cecconi said. The season is young, but the Guardians have responded well out of the gate. They earned a doubleheader split against the Cubs on Sunday -- dropping Game 1, 1-0, before winning Game 2, 6-5 \-\- to improve to 6-4 this season. The Guardians have now won two of their first three series (against the Dodgers and Cubs) and split another (against the Mariners) to start the season. “Going into it, the veterans were saying, ‘Better be ready,’” CJ Kayfus said of the Guardians’ mentality entering the season. “We’re playing some good baseball right now against really good teams, and we couldn’t be any happier.” “Be ready,” is also an adept way to describe what we saw from Kayfus on Sunday. Kayfus drew the start in Game 1 of the twin bill, when his sixth-inning double off Edward Cabrera marked the Guardians' only hit. The 24-year-old was not in the lineup in Game 2, but knew there was a decent chance he would get in the game. The Guardians have a propensity for using their entire roster. Kayfus’ number was called in the sixth inning, and he went on to go 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs. He pinch-hit for David Fry in the sixth inning, when the Guardians trailed, 3-0, and hit an RBI single off right-hander Ben Brown to cut Cleveland’s deficit to two. An ensuing Chase DeLauter sac fly and Gabriel Arias RBI single drew the Guardians even. In the bottom of the eighth, Kayfus and Arias came up key again. Kayfus hit a game-tying solo homer, to match the one Chicago’s Ian Happ hit in the top of the inning. Arias added an RBI single to put the Guardians ahead, 5-4, and an Austin Hedges RBI single made it 6-4.