Three Takeaways From Guardians' Loss Against Dodgers in Spring Training

The Cleveland Guardians have finally picked up a blemish in the loss column.

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, Cleveland fell to the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, 11-3, in a game that got away early. The Guardians struggled to find their footing on the mound and at the plate, and the bumps in the road came quickly.

It's important to remember, though, that it's just spring training.

Teams are going to test new additions, shuffle around lineups and give young, inexperienced prospects a chance to get real opportunities against big league talent.

Infield prospect Travis Bazzana stole the show with a massive three-run home run, scoring the only runs for the Guardians, while several late-game arms flashed the kind of strikeout ability that could matter by the time the regular season rolls around.

Here are three takeaways from the Guardians' first spring training loss:

Travis Bazzana blasts a 3-run homer! 💥 pic.twitter.com/ddGtBZiVvH
— MLB (@MLB) February 24, 2026

Travis Bazzana Looks Sharp

He squared up the pitch and absolutely blasted it.

In his first at-bat against the Dodgers, Bazzana took his time, waited for the right pitch and swung for the fences. He crushed the 98.5 mph sinker from Dodgers reliever Edgardo Henriquez, sending it 423 feet to center field with an exit velocity of 107.8 mph.

That type of power is exactly what makes Bazzana so exciting, and if he can keep making moments like these happen, he will likely end up at Progressive Field in due time.

Unfortunately, for those itching to see more from the former No. 1 overall selection, he won't be suiting up again for the organization until after the World Baseball Classic. Bazzana's last game of spring training before competing for Team Australia was against the Dodgers.

However, at least he showed glimpses of growth and improvement as he looks to earn a call-up in 2026. Participation in the WBC will also allow him to play against some of the world's best talents.

Gavin Williams Has Ups and Downs

That wasn't exactly how many expected the Guardians' potential ace to start 2026.

He started off the game by allowing a single to center field from Miguel Rojas and walking Kyle Tucker, before a fielding error allowed Rojas to score on the next batter. He then forced Freddie Freeman to pop-out, but the Guardians' coaching staff knew he needed a second to breathe.

He was taken out of the game for the rest of the first inning in exchange for Jay Driver. He allowed one hit, which put another run crossing home plate on Williams' tab.

Williams would then return in the second inning and looked much better. He got out of the inning in one, two, three fashion, with a strikeout tacked on against the Dodgers' Keston Hiura.

While it wasn't exactly how anyone hoped Williams would look, he did respond well and looked much more comfortable in the second frame. That ability to bounce back after early hurdles shows maturity in his game and control of his mental space, something very important for his development.

Bullpen Arms

The Guardians' coaching staff is going to have a tough task.

They'll have to weed out some of the team's struggling bullpen arms and lean into youth. That's where the team's reliability has come from so far in spring training. The reason that's going to be a difficult situation is that the front office signed a few extra arms in the offseason that were expected to be major league contributors, but some of them have been abysmal so far.

Right-handed pitcher Colin Holderman came out for just 0.2 innings of play, allowing four hits and one walk, while giving up five earned runs. He was handed the loss and finished the game with a 37.80 ERA.

It's not that he can't turn things around over time, but the youngsters have looked way better.

Right-handers Jack Carey, Tanner Burns, Jack Leftwich and Cam Schuelke all allowed no runs during their respective times on the mound. Each of them is likely to be a minor leaguer for the next couple of campaigns, besides Carey, who's slated to make an appearance at Progressive Field in 2026, but they are going to be future staples for the big league roster if they can continue to develop at the rate they have been.

Up next, the Guardians look to return back to winning ways in a bout against the Texas Rangers. The two sides will clash on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 3:05 p.m. EST.