Cavs' Donovan Mitchell loses his mind over Lane Thomas' Guardians grand slam
10/13/2024 08:32 AM
It’s no secret that Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Donovan Mitchell loves baseball. Although Mitchell loves his New York Mets most of all, he’s quickly embraced the Cleveland Guardians as his second team. So, when the Guardians took on the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the American League Divisional Series, Mitchell ensured he was there with his Cavs teammates. The game’s most significant moment was Lane Thomas’ grand slam off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, which gave Cleveland the lead they never gave up. Lucky enough for Cavs and Guardians fans, Mitchell was live streaming during the grand slam and had an incredible reaction and viewpoint of the stadium as it erupted.
Donovan Mitchell's reaction to Lane Thomas' grand slam
(via @spidadmitchell) pic.twitter.com/RfeY7G2R1n
— MLB (@MLB) October 12, 2024
Thomas slugged only .390 after his midseason trade to the Guardians but has been a difference-maker in October. This latest highlight might put him in rarified air from now on. The game was tied 1-1 at the bottom of the fifth inning when Skubal threw a 97-mile-per-hour pitch toward the at-bat Thomas. The Guardians slugger swung and hit a high ball deep into the left side of the field, resulting in a home run.
Thomas’ play is even more impressive because he did it off a pitch from a star like Skubal. Through the series’ first two games, Skubal threw seven innings of scoreless baseball, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out eight. Skubal joined former Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander as the only pitcher in franchise history to have a playoff outing of seven-plus innings with zero walks and no more than three hits.
Although the Tigers kept scrapping, the Guardians eventually clinched their ticket to the American League Championship Series (ALCS), where they’ll face the New York Yankees.
October is going to be red hot for the Cavs and Guardians
Cleveland opens the ALCS on Monday at Yankee Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled at 7:38 p.m. ET. The Yankees are 4-2 against the Guardians this year and have a 15-12 edge all-time in the playoffs.
Mitchell and the Cavs will be busy while the Guardians are kicking things off against the Yankees. The Cavs are getting ready to start the NBA season, but they might not be able to catch Games 1 and 2 in New York. However, Mitchell has gone from Cleveland to New York to catch Mets games in the preseason. So, the superstar could get the band together to bring some Cleveland support into hostile territory.
But the Cavs will sadly be on the road when the Guardians return home to play at Progressive Field. Sure, the Cavs will face the Detroit Pistons in Detroit right in between Games 2 and 3. So, there’s always a chance that Mitchell and his teammates can catch a game or two in person. Unfortunately, the Cavs will be in the Windy City to face the Chicago Bulls during Game 4.
Thankfully, the Cavs are done with preseason action after that. So, Mitchell and his teammates could be at Progressive Field for Game 5 of the ALCS. However, Mitchell’s Mets are playing in the NLCS, which might make balancing the Guardians and Mets even more difficult for the baseball superfan.
Either way, October is going to be red-hot in Cleveland. The Guardians could be opening the World Series while the Cavs have their regular-season home opener. The last time that happened was during the 2016 World Series. Hopefully, if Cleveland returns, they will bring another championship to the city. It’d be an excellent way for Mitchell and the Cavs to try and do the same on the court.
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