Report: Guardians Rookie Pitcher Shares strong After……..

Before the Cleveland Guardians’ series finale against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, they made a roster move by selecting Connor Gillispie’s contract from Triple-A Columbus and adding him to the active roster.

It was anticipated that the right-handed pitcher would make his MLB debut soon, and he did, covering the last three innings of the loss against the Orioles. Gillispie performed admirably, allowing just two hits, two walks, and one run over those innings. He also added three strikeouts, getting his first taste of playing in the major leagues.

Gillispie shared his initial impressions with Bally Sports Cleveland. “I pulled in and I saw Progressive Field all lit up and I was like: ‘This is awesome’,” he said, describing his reaction upon arriving in Cleveland around 1 a.m. He also discussed making his MLB debut against his former organization in a short video shared by the regional network.

"I pulled in and I saw Progressive Field all lit up and I was like: 'This is awesome'."

Connor Gillispie spoke about his reaction when he arrived in Cleveland around 1 a.m. today.

He also talked about making his MLB debut against his former organization.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/QwRzzqLlNx

— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) August 4, 2024

Seeing Progressive Field, a true MLB stadium, was a significant moment for Gillispie, who was definitely in awe compared to a regular Triple-A park.

Despite the loss, it was a memorable experience for the 26-year-old swingman. Such debuts are rare, so he made sure to soak it all in.

This season in Columbus, Gillispie has posted a 4.01 ERA over 20 games, including 11 starts, with an 89/40 K/BB ratio over 89.2 innings. He was originally drafted by the Orioles in 2019 but found his way to Cleveland this season, providing organizational depth. While he might not have a ton of upside, for at least one day, he got to live the MLB experience.