Guardians Kyle Manzardo counters rare burst of Cleveland sunshine with two home runs

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Kyle Manzardo says he never checks on Cleveland’s weather at the start of the baseball season in March, April and May. It’s a steady diet of gray clouds, high winds, snow, rain and near freezing temperatures. The sun takes a 2 1/2-month vacation to the Bahamas. But there is always an exception. A wild-card appearance of the blazing yellow ball in the sky. Manzardo, the Guardians’ first baseman, collided with that Sunday at Progressive Field. Sunday dawned bright and warm on the shores of Lake Erie. When the Guardians and Reds started their series finale at Progressive Field, it was 72 degrees, the warmest temperature for a game this season. Manzardo did what he could to prepare. When he took his position at first base, he had his sunglasses, but they were perched on the bill of his cap. He didn’t need them in the first two innings, but in the third, with the Guardians leading, 2-0, Cincinnati’s Matt McClain sent a pop-up into foul territory by first base. Manzardo, sunglasses still perched on the bill of his cap, never moved as the ball hit the ground in foul territory. “I’m happy that a run didn’t end up scoring on that,” said Manzardo, following the Guardians’ 10-3 win. “I talked to Bazz (second baseman Travis Bazzana) about it. “Right when I looked up, glasses on the hat, not a great look at all, I didn’t see the ball at all. I think I let Bazzana know a little too late that I couldn’t see it. The adjustment started in the bottom of the third when Manzardo hit a two-run homer off Brady Singer that clanged against the right field foul pole for a 4-1 lead. It continued in the fifth when Manzardo hit his second homer of the game to left center field for a 6-2 lead. “That motivated me, a little bit, for sure,” said Manzardo, referring to the missed pop-up. Manager Stephen Vogt, given the final score, found humor in the situation. “I was joking with him afterward,” said Vogt. “Thankfully, we can joke about it. He said, ”I haven’t seen the sun for a while here. I forgot it was right above the field.’ “We can’t afford to make mistakes like that. We know that, but he made the adjustment right away.” Manzardo had gone 81 plate appearances without a homer at Progressive Field until the third inning Sunday. He says the Guardians’ home park plays completely different depending on the temperature. “The ball flies here really well when it’s warm out,” said Manzardo. “When it’s cooler, you can have a tricky time sometimes.” The Guardians supported Manzardo’s words by hitting a season-high six home runs Sunday. It’s the most they’ve hit in a game since they hit seven against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 15, 2019. “I really don’t check the weather in Cleveland,” said Manzardo. “Stuff pops up here all the time, man.” Last year was Manzardo’s first full season in the big leagues. He hit 27 homers with 70 RBI. He has started slowly this year, hitting .223 (29 for 130) with four homers, 16 RBI and a .663 OPS. Over his last 13 games, he’s hitting .325 (13 for 40) with three homers, nine RBI and a 1.036 OPS. Sunday was Manzardo’s first two-homer game since Aug. 10, 2025 against the White Sox.