On Aug. 9, 2025, the Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5 as Carlos Santana and rookie C.J. Kayfus drove in 7; Corey Julks made rare history.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The Guardians are starting to look like a team finding its August stride. Behind a first-inning avalanche from Carlos Santana and C.J. Kayfus and a steady bullpen finish, Cleveland beat the White Sox 9-5 on Saturday to push the win streak to four and move to 60-55. It was a night where the kids and the vets shared the spotlight, the bullpen backed up a gritty Tanner Bibee, and a mid-game substitution delivered a franchise first in nearly 90 years.
Corey Julks became the first Cleveland player since 1936 to hit two doubles and score two runs after entering as a substitute.
Cleveland dropped the hammer early, posting a crooked number in the first that Chicago never fully recovered from. Carlos Santana ripped a two-run double to open the scoring, and rookie C.J. Kayfus followed with a bases-clearing double that blew the inning wide open. Santana added an RBI single in the third and later worked a bases-loaded walk, while Kayfus tacked on another double in the fourth. The Guardians made the most of their traffic and never looked back.
Called up less than a week ago, Kayfus looks like he packed an everyday bat. In his sixth MLB game, he delivered two doubles and three RBIs, none bigger than the first-inning three-run double that broke the dam. The line-drive approach is translating, and his presence is lengthening a lineup that suddenly feels dangerous one through nine.
You want a grown-up at-bat when the game tilts? Santana gave Cleveland a handful of them. The veteran totaled four RBIs with a two-run double, an RBI single, and a patient, bases-loaded walk. His early swing set the tone; his later plate discipline helped stack on insurance. On a roster mixing youth and urgency, Santana’s timing and temperament matter as much as the box score.
Tanner Bibee didn’t have his sharpest command, but he competed. The righty improved to 8-9 with 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks. The key was the bridge: Matt Festa, Jakob Junis, Erik Sabrowski, and Cade Smith combined for 3 2/3 innings of one-run relief, keeping Chicago from mounting a late push. That’s the blueprint when the starter grinds—hand it to a pen that’s been quietly reliable during this run.
Corey Julks came off the bench and did something no Cleveland player had done since 1936. He laced two doubles and scored twice after entering as a substitute, matching a feat last achieved by pitcher Clint Brown. The rarity adds a fun footnote, but the substance matters too—quality depth can tilt random nights on a long road trip.
Cleveland’s recent transaction churn is paying off. The club selected Kayfus from Triple-A Columbus and added RHP Carlos Hernández to the active roster, giving the lineup a fresh bat and the bullpen another power arm. Earlier in the week, LHP Tim Herrin and OF Johnathan Rodríguez were optioned to Columbus. No new moves were reported Saturday, but the current mix is clicking.
At 60-55, the Guardians remain second in the AL Central, six games behind Detroit. They’ve now won four straight and eight of their last eleven, riding a strong road stretch after sweeping the Mets. The pathway is clear: pile wins against beatable opponents, protect the bullpen advantage, and let the kids energize the offense while the veterans steady the ship.
Sunday’s matchup features LHP Joey Cantillo (2-2, 4.37 ERA), recently recalled from Triple-A Columbus, against White Sox RHP Sean Burke (4.23 ERA). With the bats rolling and the bullpen in rhythm, Cantillo’s task is straightforward—pound the zone early, let the defense work, and hand over a lead. Another win would make it five straight and keep the pressure on Detroit.
The Guardians are stacking the kind of wins that change a month—big early offense, capable starting pitching even on imperfect nights, and a bullpen that finishes the job. If Kayfus’s spark and Santana’s steadiness keep syncing up, and if Cantillo delivers a solid follow-up, Cleveland’s climb in the Central will have real traction by the time they get back home.
