Carl Willis will manage the team with some help from minor-league coaches in the organization
As the Cleveland Guardians prepare to face off against the division-leading Minnesota Twins, all thoughts are on the coaching staff, which is currently shortened to just Carl Willis following a COVID outbreak.
Willis will serve as the team’s acting manager this week along with other members of the Guardians organization, according to Zack Meisel. The veteran pitching coach has been the Guardians’ pitching coach since 2018 after starting his coaching career with the organization from 2003 to 2009. Not only will Willis have the tall task of handling an entire team by himself, but he’s doing it in a series that is about as important as any May series can be.
The three-game set between the Twins and Guardians isn’t going to decide anything, but it could set the tone for Cleveland going forward. The Guards established themselves as a scrappy never-give-up team in their dramatic win against the White Sox earlier this week, and now they get to bring that attitude to the team that currently holds the division crown.
Minnesota will enter this series having been swept by the Astros, including completion of a suspended game and another full game yesterday.
Team at a glance
- Record: 18-14 (5th in AL)
- Runs Scored:
- Run Differential: +7 (5th in AL)
- Last 10: 5-5
- Slash: .235/.312/.378
- wOBA: .311 (5th in AL)
- wRC+: 108 (7th in AL)
- ERA: 3.38 (4th in AL)
- SIERA: 3.46 (3rd in AL)
- K-BB%: 16.2% (3rd in AL)
Projected starters
Monday, May 9, 8:10 p.m. ET: RHP Michael Kopech vs. RHP Zach Plesac
Friday, May 13, 8:10 p.m. ET: RHP Sonny Gray vs. RHP Aaron Civale
Saturday, May 14, 7:10 p.m. ET: TBD vs. RHP Shane Bieber
Sunday, May 15, 2:10 p.m . ET: TBD vs. RHP Triston McKenzie