The first-place Cleveland Guardians improved to 62-53 on the season via a 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers in the opening game of a Monday doubleheader and also continued to make off-the-field news due to their hot dog mascot races that occur during each home game played at Progressive Field.
Last week, the Guardians officially optioned the High-A Lake County condiment to High-A Lake County after he went 0-50 in races throughout the MLB season. Mustard reclaimed his winning form in the minors and also channeled his inner Antonio Brown during his stint away from Cleveland:
Per Claire Geary of News 5 Cleveland, the Guardians rewarded Mustard by recalling him to the big-league hot dog race roster ahead of the Monday afternoon matchup versus Detroit:
We have made a last minute roster move before today's doubleheader:
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) August 15, 2022
+ Recalled @SugardaleFoods Mustard from Single-A Lake County
He is in the building, and we can confirm that he is a changed ma... hotdog.
Welcome back, Mustard!#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/MgowLYQElu
Interestingly, no corresponding roster move was made.
HI HATERS! pic.twitter.com/liIDHtEFDA
— Guardians Hot Dogs (@CleHotDogs) August 15, 2022
"Mustard, 17, has struggled at a historic pace this season, failing to secure a victory in any of the first 50 Sugardale Hot Dog races at Progressive Field in 2022 (one race was rained out)," the Guardians said when they demoted Mustard on Aug. 8. "The tantrum-throwing condiment is being sent down to the Guardians' High-A team -- the Lake County Captains -- to try to get his mental and physical game back to a MLB-caliber level. He is expected to report to the Captians on Monday and race in Tuesday's contest."
Mustard celebrated Monday's promotion with a brief and hilarious press conference that was tweeted out between Monday's contests held in downtown Cleveland:
EMERGENCY PRESS CONFERENCE pic.twitter.com/LBZ8d8dv1V
— Guardians Hot Dogs (@CleHotDogs) August 15, 2022
Some fans may be wondering if Mustard won on his first day back with the Guardians. Unfortunately for him, his losing streak picked right back up where it left off:
Hahahahahaha NO!
— Mustard (@DidMustardWin) August 15, 2022
The Guardians, meanwhile, began the evening holding three-game leads over both the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox in the American League Central standings.
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