There’s always a brief moment of concern when a standout player leaves the game before it’s over.
That’s what happened with the Cleveland Guardians and Travis Bazzana on Thursday night in ALDS Game 4 in Chicago against the White Sox.
The Guardians pulled Bazzana before the bottom of the eighth inning, and Angel Genao came into the game.
Fans watching the game, and those who then catch up with what happened the next morning, will likely try to figure out if anything had happened to Bazzana.
By all indications, it seems there’s nothing to worry about, and unless someone says something specific about it postgame, it’s probably just a case of strategy and nothing more.
Why Did Guardians Pull Travis Bazzana?
The Guardians pulled Bazzana from the game for a defensive replacement.
Bazzana is a passable second baseman but won’t get confused for a Gold Glove player at that position.
Genao, though, is a natural shortstop — and he’s a good fielder there, too.
So moving the rookie Genao to second base gives the Guardians a great middle infield combination alongside shortstop Brayan Rocchio.
Genao quickly got involved in the action. He couldn’t quite turn a double play as the pivot man, but then he fielded a groundout and threw to first base to end the bottom of the eighth inning.
Is Travis Bazzana Hurt?
There’s no indication that Bazzana was hurt.
The change happened once the Guardians had opened up a big lead, and since it happened at the start of a defensive inning, every sign points to it being a defensive replacement.
Travis Bazzana Stats
Bazzana had already delivered one of the game’s most crucial hits in the sixth inning.
The Guardians trailed by a run with a man on, but Bazzana ripped an RBI double to tie the game 4-4.
Bazzana soon came around to score, and his double was what sparked a six-run inning for Cleveland to take a commanding lead.
That was Bazzana’s only hit on the night, and he was 1-for-4 before his departure.
Assuming the Guardians don’t give up a late lead, the Australian phenom should be right back in the lineup for Game 5.
Why Guardians Pulled Travis Bazzana From ALDS Game 4