Daniel Espino Opening Wasn't a Good Idea, But the Guardians Got Lucky

Espino's postseason debut was every bit of disappointing, but their bullpen had his back to make up for his early Game 3 mistakes.

Oct 7, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Daniel Espino (41) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox in game three of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Guardians were able to take care of business on the southside of Chicago on Wednesday night in Game 3. 

In their 9-3 victory with their backs against the wall, Cleveland found some life in their bats to put up some much-needed run support in lieu of their continued struggling pitching. When discussing struggling pitching, it starts at the top with Daniel Espino.

It was a real gamble by manager Stephen Vogt to start Espino in the first place, especially when they had Tanner Bibee and Foster Griffin as options, both with much more experience. Griffin eventually came in to relieve Espino of his short duties on the mound.

Either way, it just wasn’t the ideal playoff debut for Espino as both the Guardians and Espino himself had envisioned. Here’s how the choice to start Espino was a gamble from the jump, and how their pitching staff worked around his struggles:

Espino’s lack of experience showed against a stingy White Sox lineup

Oct 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Daniel Espino (41) reacts after a double play to end the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox in game one of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When manager Stephen Vogt announced Espino would get the nod to start in Game 3, the immediate assumption was that pitcher Joey Cantillo would relieve him at some point whether it be after the first or second inning.

Cleveland found a legitimate one-two punch in the Espino/Cantillo combination during the end of the regular season, so all signs pointed to that being the plan. Then, Espino went out and quickly faced adversity, putting the Guardians in an early rut down one run.

Espino’s final stats for the day included 20 total pitches, giving up two hits, one run, and walking a batter. He did strike out two batters, but it was easy to see the anxiety he felt in that big position trying to shut down Chicago’s offense.

It’s not that Espino is a bad pitcher by any means, it’s simply that he doesn’t have the experience to be trusted in those types of situations. Espino has seen lots of time on the mound since June, but in a very limited role. He is better off as a relief pitcher moving forward.

Jun 30, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Daniel Espino (41) walks off the field during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There were too many pitches that ended up as balls, which forced Espino into attacking the zone more than he probably would have liked to. It was obvious from the start that Espino was not the player you wanted on the mound in the spot.

Again, most fans probably thought Cantillo would come in for Espino, but Vogt decided the veteran Griffin was the better fit at that early stage in the game. Griffin would go on to throw 53 pitches into the fourth inning, giving up two hits and one run while striking out seven batters.

By the end of the day, Cleveland’s bullpen recorded 19 strikeouts, which does warrant some major credit for their pitching. Cantillo did find his way to the mound in this game, in which he would give up Chicago’s final third run about halfway through the game.

Cleveland's flamethrowing closer Cade Smith was able to secure the win for the Guardians, pitching the final two innings of the game while recording five strikeouts.

Maybe the Espino/Cantillo combination wasn’t the best idea, especially with Cleveland facing elimination from the ALDS. The Guardians were able to grab a big-time win and are hoping both their pitchers and hitters show up again and carry last night's momentum into tonight’s game.

The Guardians will look to tie up this series against the White Sox in another decisive game, but have the lone playoff game on the slate. Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST.