Guardians Can't Overcome Franco Aleman's Costly Struggles Against Twins

The Cleveland Guardians got great starts from nearly everyone, but Aleman's struggles put the team on it's heels early.

Sep 12, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Franco Aleman (55) reacts after striking a second Minnesota Twins batter in a row and awaits his manager to be replaced in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Guardians aren't in a position to be losing games.

With the 2026 MLB regular season rapidly approaching its conclusion, each loss the team suffers puts them in a weaker position to jump the Chicago White Sox for the top spot in the American League Central standings.

And on Saturday, Sept. 12, they fell to the Minnesota Twins, 4-3, evening a weekend series at one.

Unfortunately, while games don't necessarily fall solely on one player, right-handed rookie reliever Franco Aleman played a major role in the loss. He entered in the third frame, going just 0.2 innings while giving up five hits, four earned runs and one walk. Every run the Twins scored came from the delivery of the 26-year-old.

His season ERA now sits at 4.43.

Sep 12, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Franco Aleman (55) throws to the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When reflecting on the outing Aleman produced, manager Stephen Vogt was honest, saying that he just didn't look the part.

“It looked like he just, you know… when he got to a couple of two-strike counts, he wasn't able to put 'em away," Vogt said postgame. "Kind of left some pitches out over the middle, pitched himself into some bad counts at times, and obviously the two hit-by-pitches didn't help. Just didn’t have his day.”

Vogt went on to share that the goal was to get a few of Cleveland's rookie pitchers time on the field in back-to-back fashion.

“Yeah, we talked about, you know, getting three innings one time through with both [him and Daniel Espino] and one time through plus," he continued. "And we were on pace; they just got to Franco.”

Before Aleman entered, Daniel Espino put together a phenomenal performance in his first start of his career in the big leagues. He worked his way through seven batters quickly in the first and second innings, striking out two and giving up just one hit.

“He was outstanding," Vogt said. "We couldn't ask for anything more from Daniel. You know, we didn't have him going two [innings] going into it, and you know, so for him to give us two clean, you know, the plan was working..."

Joey Cantillo has worked out of the bullpen through 2 1/3 at least.

The Aleman implosion has hurt them, but it's only 4-3 now.

Espino was brilliant and Cantillo has been solid.

Could be worse.

— Justin L. (jlbaseball on bluesky) (@JL_Baseball) September 12, 2026

Just a few years removed from career-threatening injuries, Espino has continued to deliver some high-level innings for the Guardians.

“I mean, it's fun every time to go out there and pitch," Espino said. "I'm here to help this team. Today was as a starter, as an opener. Tomorrow it might be as a reliever, and that's what keeps it fun. That I'm healthy.

"I'm really happy with how my body feels right now, and I think that's just a testament to everything that I'm doing.”

(Via #Guardians audio) Daniel Espino to reporters in Minnesota on his opener outing vs the Twins:

“I mean, it's fun every time to go out there and pitch. I'm here to help this team. Today was as a starter, as an opener. Tomorrow it might be as a reliever, and that's what keeps…

— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) September 13, 2026

The rest of the outing saw starter-turned-reliever Joey Cantillo and Craig Yoho get work out of the bullpen for the Guardians, with both limiting the Twins' ability to keep the offense going. Cantillo worked through four, allowing just one hit and one walk and striking out eight. Yoho, who pitched in the seventh and eighth innings, walked one and struck out two.

If Aleman hadn't had such a disastrous third inning, or if the offense had gotten going a bit more efficiently, Cleveland could have stolen the series on the road and waltzed into Sunday with a little less pressure.

Instead, Sunday's series finale will put the Guardians in an important position to avoid dropping another series and keep pace in the tightly contested AL Central race.

The Guardians and Twins will go toe-to-toe at 2:10 p.m. EST from Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn.