Can Guardians’ Front Office Make The Tough Decision?

With the trading deadline in Major League Baseball two weeks away, teams all around baseball have to make decisions. Are they a contender or a pretender? That’s the first thing executives around the game have to figure out, and we have seen it here and all around the sport, what the fans and even the players think is not the same as the GM.

For the Cleveland Guardians, that decision should be simple. They are currently one game out of first place in a weak AL Central Division, and they have won that division title each of the last two seasons. They should be in the business of strengthening their ballclub.

What president Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff have to decide is what areas need improvement and how to accomplish getting better. Those answers should be obvious, the offense is now last in all of baseball in scoring runs and of course, everyone’s bullpen could be deeper.

Offensively, are the Guardians ready to move on from some of the players they have seemed to give umpteen chances to? We look at the position players on the roster currently and see many players who could easily be sent back to AAA or even DFA’d in order to score more runs.

And yes, yes, we know Jose Ramirez will be back, hopefully before the August 3rd deadline and Angel Martinez will return as well, and when both are in the lineup, the hitting will be better. We understand that. But again, the offense is currently last in baseball, so even with that pair returning, Cleveland’s offense isn’t anything to write home about.

The front office leaned into giving their young players a chance this off-season and have been rewarded to some extent by the performance of rookies Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana. Still, it hasn’t been enough because, and we know we are repeating ourselves, they still rank last in scoring runs per game.

Part of that is Steven Kwan’s struggles, but he seems to be getting back to the player we’ve seen in his career up to this point.

We are sure they didn’t anticipate Kyle Manzardo’s struggles and that the DH spot would basically become a gaping hole. But the question now is what they are willing to do about it.

Will they continue to hope young players like Cooper Ingle or Ralphy Velazquez will come up and hit the ground running, or that Kahlil Watson or Petey Halpin will figure out the puzzle that is the strike zone and become competent big league hitters?

There are rookies that take the league by storm and maybe that’s what will happen for the Guardians, but history shows it likely won’t happen. Heck, Bazzana is going through a tough stretch right now, hitting .169 with a 525 OPS over the last month.

To us, there are a number of players in the organization we would have no problem if the organization decided to move on, but that seems to be an issue with the Guardians. They have a tough time letting go. However, using assets to go out and get a proven hitter is the prudent move to make. Adding even one bat should make a difference.

Looking At Guardians’ Top Hitting Prospects.

In today’s edition of The Plain Dealer, the great Terry Pluto spoke with Guardians’ farm director, Matt Forman, about the hitting in the minor leagues. Keep in mind, the Guardians rank near the bottom in the big leagues in runs scored. str

Also, in the last week or so, Baseball America came out with its revised Top 30 prospects for each organization. Of the players featured in the article, Jaison Chourio was rated the highest (#3), while Dean Curley (#8) and Jace LaViolette (#10) were also in the Guardians’ current Top 10 minor leaguers.

If you visit this site often, you know we believe the one of the most important indicators of success in the big leagues is strikeout to walk ratio, because in our opinion, hitters have a better chance if they can discern the difference between a ball and a strike.

Last night, Chase DeLauter knocked in the Guards’ first run in the nightcap after falling down in the count 0-2, and fighting off some tough pitches, taking some borderline one, and getting a 3-2 pitch which he (luckily, according to Chris Gimenez) pulled in the hole.

Cleveland’s #1 prospect is 1B/OF Ralphy Velazquez, currently hitting .269 (773 OPS) at Columbus after starting the year in Akron. The left-handed hitter has a 70:39 ratio this year, not bad, but something to watch, at AAA, that ratio is 39:17. Not awful. And the most he has fanned in any minor league season is 104. That’s pretty good contact.

The #2 prospect is SS Angel Genao, a 22-year-old switch-hitter, who the organization will have to get creative with, seeing the keystone at the big league level seems to be in good hands with Brayan Rocchio and Travis Bazzana.

He’s hitting .299 between Akron and Columbus and has drawn 51 walks vs. 55 whiffs. We wonder if he’s the big trade chip or if the Guardians ultimately move Bazzana to the outfield.

Remember, pitching doesn’t get easier as you move up the ladder in the minors and ultimately to the major leagues.

And that’s why we are watching the progress of Chourio, a 21-year-old, switch-hitting outfielder, whose brother Jackson plays for the Brewers. This season, he has struck out 60 times in 315 plate appearances and has drawn 46 walks with 26 extra base hits.

In his minor league career, his K/BB ratio is pretty much even (290/286). He has a .410 on base percentage to date, and we think as he gets older and matures, the power will arrive.

Another player we are keeping an eye on is 18-year-old (soon to be 19) OF Juneiker Caceres, who was just promoted to Lake County. A left-handed hitter, he walked more than he struck out at low A (31 walks, 23 Ks) and batted .320 with a 956 OPS. Again, he’s just 19, and just moved up to high A, but he definitely bears watching to see how he adjusts to better pitching.

Curley is a 22-year-old infielder who has pop, but a good eye. When we are accused of hating strikeouts, we always respond that strikeouts aren’t terrible if the hitter also walks a lot, like Jim Thome. That’s Curley. He has fanned in 92 of his 329 plate appearances this season, but he’s also walked 82 times, giving him a .454 on base percentage.

He was just promoted to AA Akron, so again, watch if that ratio can maintain moving up a level.

We aren’t sure about LaViolette, the Guardians’ first pick in last year’s amateur draft. He certainly has power, 30 extra base hits in 327 plate appearances, but has fanned a whopping 119 times vs. 39 walks. Let us remind you again, the pitching doesn’t get easier as you move up in the minors.

If he can’t harness the strike zone, we don’t see him ever being an impact player in the bigs.

Cooper Ingle is the #6 prospect, and we didn’t talk about him since we’ve discussed him earlier, and we still think he can help the big club.

On the other hand, none of these guys can help until the front office makes some decisions with some of the marginal players currently on the roster.

With Trading Deadline Coming, We’d Get A Bat. What Is The Front Office Thinking?

The Cleveland Guardians resume their season Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates and when they start play, they will have a little over two weeks before the MLB trading deadline which ends on August 3rd.

We doubt the front office will do anything major and might not do anything at all. However, the offense still ranks 29th in the big leagues and has been in that area now for a year and a half.

Our guess is the brass will look at the return of Jose Ramirez as a major event (and it is), but we believe a good offense needs seven effective bats in a lineup, and the Guardians will still be well short of that. And remember, the front office should plan things based on a worst-case scenario mindset.

For sure, Cleveland should be in the relief pitcher market because right now Steven Vogt can only have confidence in Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, and Colin Holderman. Franco Aleman might be able to slide into the “circle of trust”, but in watching post-season baseball, a team can never have enough solid relief pitchers.

Back to the hitting, with Ramirez back, the Guardians have what we would consider three solid bats: Ramirez, Chase DeLauter, and Brayan Rocchio. We understand the optimistic fans will ask, what about Travis Bazzana, Angel Martinez, Kyle Manzardo, etc.?

Manzardo is suffering through a bad season. He’s hitting just .215 with an OPS of 669, a hundred points behind last year’s 768 figure. Can he have a much better second half? Of course, but over the last month, he’s hit just .165 and a 550 OPS.

Bazzana is hitting just .222 with a 685 OPS over the last 28 days. This could be the ups and downs a rookie experiences, but the front office should be a tad concerned, particularly over the 26 strikeouts in those 90 plate appearances.

And although Martinez adds some pop with 23 extra base hits and a .442 slugging percentage, he is very inconsistent at the plate, prone to hot streaks and deep slumps, mostly in our opinion because of a 53:7, strikeout to walk ratio.

It would help greatly if Steven Kwan’s resurgence over the past month (748 OPS) can continue. He could be a fourth solid hitter.

What we are saying is president Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff should be looking for a hitter between now and August 3rd.

We understand the prospect lovers will say what about Ralphy Velazquez and Angel Genao at Columbus? Again, they are rookies and you don’t know what you will get. Cooper Ingle had great numbers at AAA, but he was overmatched when he came up. And we still have confidence he can be a solid hitter in the big leagues.

As for Genao, could he be a piece used to get a proven hitter, particularly one who hits right-handed? The best deals are made from depth, and it appears like the Guardians are set at the keystone spots with Rocchio and Bazzana.

That said, we know the front office is loath to give up prospects, so it likely won’t happen.

What is more likely is a deal for someone like a Lane Thomas giving up marginal prospects. Don’t forget the organization figures to do something with Bo Naylor too.

How much that moves the needle is up for debate.

Is the goal is to get a first-round bye and ultimately get to the World Series, the batting order needs to be more formidable. Can the management pull the trigger and help the team currently on the field?

Memories Of All-Star Games And The Hometown Team

Tonight is the Mid-Summer Classic, Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, the highlight of many summers for us when we were younger, and unfortunately, the game has lost some of its luster due to a variety of things, mostly interleague play.

Another reason is you can see every team’s games now. That’s a good thing, but still, it affects the All-Star contest. Back when we became a fan of baseball, the All-Star Game and the World Series were the only time you got to see the great players in the National League.

And growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, the NL dominated play winning every game from 1963-1970 and 1972-1982. The Senior Circuit had Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Joe Morgan.

Still, as kids, the night of the game was sacred. If you were playing ball, you rushed home by 8 PM to watch all the great players. We remember a few nights where sleepovers were scheduled so you could watch the contest with your friends.

In 1965 (still a day game), the Cleveland Indians had two starters, CF Vic Davalillo and RF Rocky Colavito, Sam McDowell pitched in the game and took the loss in a 6-5 NL win. (The winning pitcher was Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson got the save!).

They were the last Cleveland players to start in an All-Star Game until Manny Trillo in 1983. Trillo was voted in because people knew him nationally because he played for the Phillies prior to being traded to the Tribe in the Von Hayes (five for one) deal.

So, as an Indian fan, our hope was that our player would get in the game. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn’t, and many times it was a pinch-hitting appearance.

Of course, once the 90’s came, the Indians were all over the starting lineups. Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, Albert Belle, Sandy Alomar Jr. were regulars in the AL batting order.

One painful memory was the 1970 game in which Ray Fosse’s career was ruined in a home plate collision with Rose on the last play. Fosse came into the game hitting .312 with 16 homers and 46 RBI (893 OPS) and was a great defensive catcher as well. He was the AL’s answer to Bench.

After the collision, which resulted in a shoulder injury (we believe Fosse said it was separated), his numbers in the second half fell off to .297 with only 2 home runs and 15 ribbies (713 OPS). Fosse played until 1979, won a couple of World Series rings with the A’s (’73 and ’74) and broadcasted games for Oakland for many years. But what could have been a great career was destroyed.

We have seen three games played in town. The ’81 game which was marred because it was the first game played after the work stoppage, the ’97 contest during the “Summer of Sandy” when Sandy Alomar came into the game hitting .375 and in the midst of a 30-game hitting streak and then hit the game winning homer to claim the MVP.

And of course, 2019, when Shane Bieber introduced himself to the country, striking out the side in a 4-3 AL win and winning the MVP for the game. Bieber was just 24 and in his second season in the bigs and won the Cy Young Award the next year in the COVID-shortened season.

It’s not the same today for many reasons, but it’s still an enjoyable evening for baseball fans. The only bad thing is we have to wait until Friday for another game. That can be painful.

Bullpen Hiccups Causing Guardians Concern

With the All-Star break starting tomorrow, hopefully the bullpen of the Cleveland Guardians can get plenty of rest because they seem to be running on fumes as of late and that gives Steven Vogt less options he can depend on.

First, two of our rules for relievers are don’t walk people and don’t give up home runs. In other words, make hitters earn their way on base, and in addition, make them score runs by bunching hits together, particularly tough in today’s game.

Right now, Vogt has three relievers who challenge the first of those rules–

Shawn Armstrong: 28.2 IP, 16 BB
Erik Sabrowski: 27.1 IP, 20 BB
Tim Herrin: 32.1 IP, 19 BB

The lowest point of the relief corps’ season came Wednesday night in Minnesota, when Armstrong entered the game with a 5-3 lead and walked two batters. He was relieved by Sabrowski, who walked the three batters he faced before Hunter Gaddis rescued him.

Minnesota tied the game without swinging the bat. The quintet of free passes allowed them to tie the game.

Right now, Vogt probably trusts three pitches when the Guardians have the lead. Obviously, one is All-Star Cade Smith, who leads the AL is saves with 28 and has fanned 61 hitters in 43.1 innings. He’s also allowed just three long balls, two of them coming in one game.

Hunter Gaddis started the year on the injured list and then struggled a bit when he joined the team, but has been solid for the most part. Since May 1st, he has a 1.85 ERA with 21 Ks in 24.1 frames, allowing just one HR in that span.

The third pitcher is the surprise, Colin Holderman, signed as a free agent over the winter. We always like Holderman when he was in Pittsburgh, where he had two solid years in 2023 and 2024 and struck out over a hitter per inning.

But last season, he had a 7.01 ERA with the Pirates and his walk numbers went up and the strikeouts went down.

He started with year with the big-league club but was sent back to AAA after allowing two runs in his first two games. Since returning in late April, he’s posted a 1.43 ERA with 36 punchouts in 32.1 innings and hasn’t allowed a round tripper.

Herrin is currently on the IL after taking a line drive off the elbow and Sabrowski had elbow problems earlier and they are the only lefties at Vogt’s disposal. And both have a tendency to put people on base. The latter was very good early on, but since his elbow started giving him a problem, it’s been dicey bringing him into games.

Matt Festa has a rubber arm and Vogt likes him, but the problem is he doesn’t have dominant stuff, allowing six dingers in 38 innings. As noted, Armstrong has problems locating the strike zone.

Maybe the answer is Franco Aleman, a rookie, but the manager doesn’t trust him yet. He’s pitched in four games since his recall but hasn’t been put into any high leverage situations until yesterday when he pitched the 8th in a 4-1 Guardians’ win.

Vogt needs more options he can trust as the season goes on or he risks exhausting his three best options and perhaps watching them falter in late August and September. So, either a pitcher like Armstrong has to rediscover throwing strikes or the lefties start pitching better or the front office is going to have to find more options.

And if the Guardians get to the post-season, no doubt a good relief corps is a must.

Poor Hitting With Runners In Scoring Position? Most Likely Because Poor Hitters Coming Up

It is no secret the Cleveland Guardians are struggling in regard to hitting with runners in scoring position. Currently, Cleveland ranks third last in the majors, ahead of only Seattle and Cincinnati, with a .227 batting average.

They are 20th in the big leagues in opportunities, and rank 14th in terms of striking out in these situations.

People keep looking for reasons as to why this is happening, but really, it’s simple. The Guardians simply don’t have enough good hitters.

We understand this seems obvious, but applying logic, we will show you what the problem is. It’s not a matter of hitters not having the “clutch gene” or in a lot of cases putting too much pressure on themselves.

First, the Guardians have no one getting on base at a .350 or better clip. Their leaders are Austin Hedges at .348 (if you can believe that), Chase DeLauter (.346), and Brayan Rocchio at .343. Let’s say for the sake of argument, that all three of these players get on base to start an inning.

Who comes up next?

The argument for a good offense is getting players who get on base (high on base percentage) and then players who can drive them in (high slugging percentage). So who leads the Guardians in slugging right now?

Two of the top three for Cleveland are currently on the injured list, including the team leader, Angel Martinez at .442. He is followed by DeLauter at .428 and Jose Ramirez, also out of the lineup right now at .418. Keep in mind, most people feel a slugging average of .450 is very good, and the Guardians have no one in that category.

So, of the three guys who have shown they can drive the ball, the only one who is playing right now is DeLauter, who is also one of the three guys who can get on base. And here is the dilemma for Steven Vogt and the powers that be who make out the lineup each day.

Getting back to the scenario where DeLauter and Rocchio get on base, here are the likely hitters to follow: Kyle Manzardo, who hasn’t had a good year with a 682 OPS. Rhys Hoskins, hitting .181 on the season with a 692 OPS. The third base platoon of Daniel Schneemann (611 OPS) or Gabriel Arias (646 OPS but striking out in 41% of his plate appearances.

And FYI, the 646 OPS is nothing to write home about either.

Then you might have Patrick Bailey, hitting .209 with a 564 OPS and then Steven Kwan, suffering through a terrible season with a 607 OPS.

The other problem is the strikeouts. When you don’t get hits in scoring position, sometimes you can have a productive out, moving a runner, hitting a sacrifice fly. Cleveland has 21 sac flies, ranking 21st in the sport.

Right now, four Guardians hitters (Arias, Manzardo, Hoskins, and Kahlil Watson) strikeout in more than 30% of their at bats. In Tuesday’s game against the Twins, DeLauter has a leadoff double, and Manzardo did move him to third with a grounder to the right side. Fundamental baseball.

But Hoskins struck out, and when Rocchio grounded out, DeLauter was left standing on third.

It certainly is a challenge for Vogt to figure out how to scratch out runs with a lineup where there are only two or three decent hitters. The poor average with runners in scoring position to due a lot to having nothing but mediocre bats coming up when runners do happen to reach safely.

How Managing Has Changed And Steven Vogt

We recently read John Miller’s outstanding book The Last Manager, about Earl Weaver, the great manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 1968-82, during which the Orioles were the best organization in the sport, winning World Series once and two other American League pennants.

He had a .583 winning percentage as the skipper and was one of the first, if not the first, manager to use statistics, keeping track of how individual hitters did against different pitchers and making out his lineup accordingly, even though to others, the moves didn’t make sense.

The book is called the last manager because baseball is certainly different today. The front offices around the sport have more and more influence on how a roster is used, so although Cleveland fans wonder why Steven Vogt has a certain person in the lineup, keep in mind that it is more likely an organizational decision, not just Vogt’s.

Making decisions on a hunch is gone. And like many things about baseball and all of professional sports for that matter, change is not always for the good.

We say that because Vogt has come over more criticism this year it seems. First, any manager would be under more scrutiny when every game they play is decided by one or two runs, which is most Guardians’ games are decided by. So, pitching changes, who pinch hits, and when substitutions are made seem to be amplified when Cleveland loses 3-2.

These same decisions wouldn’t be a blip on the radar if the Guardians won 7-1. That’s just how it is.

What happens is managers today become robots. The game becomes sort of scripted, pre-planned if you will and only something weird causes the script to be altered. For example, we think the Guardians in their pregame meetings go over scenarios where they believe it will be advantageous for say Rhys Hoskins to bat for Kyle Manzardo.

It doesn’t matter if Manzardo has gone 3 for 3 in the game, with say a double and two home runs, if a certain pitcher comes in that Hoskins has had success, or should have success, he will likely pinch hit.

To most fans and reporters, that seems crazy, but that’s the way it is.

It’s also why a player goes 3 for 4 today but is out of the lineup tomorrow. Sometimes it’s a planned day off for the player, but we still think the player would (or may) go to the skipper and say he feels good and wants in. But it likely won’t happen.

When teams make a strange move on firing a manager, it’s more likely that decision is made because he is no longer aligned with the front office on who should play and who shouldn’t rather than he lost his connection with the players.

Also, the front office wants to justify why a play in on the roster, which is why Gabriel Arias keeps getting chance after chance after chance. Our guess is the powers that be look at Arias’ power and his arm and just can’t quit him. Even though he continues to have contact issues.

We aren’t a Vogt enthusiast, he’s fine but not a great manager (yes, we know two Manager of the Year Awards) but his best trait is he has all the players rowing in the same direction. He keeps that clubhouse together and he communicates well with his players. But know the role of the skipper has changed greatly in the last 25 years in baseball.

It’s very much an organizational game. Sadly, the manager doesn’t have the same juice.

What Is The Cavs’ Plan For ’26-’27?

While we all wait for where LeBron James will play next season, as of right now, the Cleveland Cavaliers have spent the first week of the NBA off-season watching other teams in the Eastern Conference get better.

Right now, you have to put the NBA Champion Knicks ahead of the wine and gold, and you can make a solid case that Philadelphia (with Jaylen Brown deal), Indiana (getting Tyrese Halliburton back and trading for Ivica Zubac), and Toronto (getting Kawhi Leonard) are all better than the Cavs.

As for Cleveland, thus far Koby Altman has let Keon Ellis leave as a free agent to Brooklyn, Dean Wade go to the 76ers in the same manner, and quickly (for some reason) resigned Thomas Bryant.

Ellis didn’t play much in the playoffs but would seem to be more of an all-around player than Sam Merrill, who is a favorite of the organization. Ellis shot 36% from three last year and in his career knocks them down at a 40% clip. Still, it’s not a huge loss, but we would rather the Cavs embrace players who do more than one thing.

Wade is the darling of many, but not here. He was the team’s best perimeter defender over 6’6″, but as we have noted many time, seemed to refuse to participate on the offensive end of the floor, meaning smart teams didn’t need to guard him. He shoots. 36.7% for his career from the three-point line, but is inconsistent with the shot.

Bryant didn’t contribute much during the playoffs although Kenny Atkinson needed another reliable big man, so we are mystified as to why Altman brought him back. We would have looked around to see what else was out there.

The question is what Altman’s plan for is 2026-27? Does he believe if James returns to the organization, that’s all that is needed to win a title? If so, we do not agree.

Having James back would be great. He’s still a productive player, averaging 20.9 points, dishing out 7.2 assists and getting 6.1 rebounds a night, but remember, he will be 42 years old in December. He would give the Cavs some size on the wing and can be a legitimate “4” as well, but we still believe this roster needs more size, particularly on the wing and more players who are not “one dimensional”.

We also believe that James would change the attitude of this roster, which has been criticized for a lack of toughness.

And what exactly is the plan if James signs elsewhere?

We believe that after acquiring James Harden, who will likely be back, Atkinson and the organization went away from Jaylon Tyson and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, instead of getting them ready for a playoff run. Tyson has the size and toughness, and Tomlin is another wing defender with size.

And both players should be very much in the plans for the upcoming season. But, if the Cavs want to win the East and return to the Finals, Altman have to upgrade this roster. First, Ellis and Wade need to be replaced, and he still needs to address the starters, which are a weird fit right now.

As of right now, all the Cavaliers are doing is watching other teams in the East pass them by.

Why Platoon When It Clearly Isn’t Working?

The Cleveland Guardians like platooning. They did it under Terry Francona and it has continued under Steven Vogt. Most years, the Guards lead all of baseball in having the platoon advantage (left-handed hitter vs. right-handed pitcher and vice versa) for hitters.

This year, they also seem to be emphasizing the reverse platoon, which is a left-handed hitter who has more success vs. left-handed pitching, but that’s a discussion for another day.

Our question here is despite using the platoon advantage as much as they do, Cleveland ranks near the bottom in runs scored over the past year and a half. So, why do they continue to do it.

In 2013, Francona used Ryan Raburn vs. lefties and he delivered, hitting .308 against southpaws with a 1020 OPS. More famously, for the 2016 American League champions, he used Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Guyer in rightfield.

Chisenhall batted .294 with a 784 OPS vs. righties, while Guyer blistered left-handers at a .336 clip, compiling a 1021 OPS. That’s an effective platoon. Both players have to be productive when they get opportunities.

As for this season, that’s simply not the case. Some of the numbers for the players Vogt is platooning are downright ugly. For example, the Guardians signed Rhys Hoskins in spring training to help against right-handers, as the roster is pretty left-handed hitting dominant.

The problem is Hoskins is 10 for 68 (.147) vs. LHP and has just three home runs. His OPS is 619 because he’s drawn 15 walks. Another right-handed bat counted on by the organization, David Fry, is hitting .171 (12 for 70) with two homers, although again, he’s taken 16 bases on balls.

Gabriel Arias, long thought of as a source of power from the right side is 3 for 20. Stuart Fairchild signed in the off-season because he hit lefties was 2 for 15 with eight strikeouts in his brief time in Cleveland.

Meanwhile, Kyle Manzardo, often benched with a southpaw is starting or pinch-hit for if a left enters a game is 12 for 45 with a homer and seven walks against them. However, he is hitting .222 with nine homers against right-handers.

We get the organization wants to play Travis Bazzana every day, but he is dreadful vs. southpaws, batting just .153 (11 for 72). We wouldn’t bench the former first overall pick against them because he needs exposure to them, but he probably shouldn’t be hitting leadoff against them.

And if you want to give Steven Kwan a break at times, it should be when a lefty starts because he’s just 13 for 83 against them (.157) with a terrible 469 OPS.

Another issue is no one is really doing well against right-handers, who throw the majority of pitches.

Bazzana has the highest OPS vs. RHP at 902, batting .295 and a .379 on base percentage. The next best is Fry, who doesn’t get many opportunities because he only seemingly plays vs. lefties. He’s 12 for 44 with two homers and eight walks, so we ask the same question we asked after Ramirez went down, why isn’t he in the mix at third base?

Kahlil Watson and Brayan Rocchio, who has been solid all year, are next.

The major point is the organization seems married to the platoon advantage. The problem is that it’s not working. We know the Guardians can be stubborn, but it might be time to rethink the strategy.

Looking At The Guardians, Halfway Through.

The Cleveland Guardians reached the halfway point of their season prior to the weekend series against Seattle with a record of 42-39, respectable considering only four teams in the American League are over the break-even mark.

They’ve done this despite a month-long hitting slump, as they have tread water during this period where they have not been able to score runs, going 10-13 in June to date. Steven Vogt’s crew will likely be without their best player, Jose Ramirez, for another month (hopefully less), so can they sustain their place in the standings without him?

After a decent start offensively to the season, the offense has returned to the bottom of the AL, and remember, for the most part, teams that score runs in the regular season make the post-season. They rank last in OPS, last in slugging, and 14th (second last) in on base percentage. And we’ve documented in past posts, that the “slump” started in the middle of May, not when Ramirez, Angel Martinez, and Chase DeLauter went down with injuries in the same game.

Once again, the outfield has been a problem. While first base is the lowest position ranking according to WAR in the AL, the next two spots belong to leftfield and centerfield. Part of this is the poor year Steven Kwan is having. The two-time all-star is arguably the worst hitter in the league this season, with an OPS under 600 (575), a batting average of .210 and a slugging average less than his on base percentage (.319 OBP and .256 slugging).

How have the Guardians remained above the .500 mark? As usual, the answer is pitching. Cleveland has still only used five starters this season, remarkable in today’s game. They rank 4th in the AL in ERA, and they have the league leader in saves in Cade Smith, who has 26.

Parker Messick has emerged as a potential all-star, with a 2.67 ERA and 101 strikeouts in 94.1 innings. One thing to watch with him is his innings. The most he’s thrown in any season is 133, so no doubt the front office will try to control that in the second half.

And while Gavin Williams hasn’t had a good June, he’s been picked up by Tanner Bibee, who has been outstanding in his four starts, putting up a 1.71 ERA.

The bullpen has to develop some depth though. Hunter Gaddis looks like he is back after a slow start with an IL stint to start the year. Colin Holderman has been a find, with a 1.55 ERA in 28 games, allowing just one homer and 13 hits in 29 frames.

Erik Sabrowski missed some time with elbow inflammation, and he’s been fine too with 42 Ks in 22.1 innings. But the rest of the ‘pen has had issues.

Matt Festa, everyone’s favorite, has allowed six long balls in 34 innings. Shawn Armstrong, the Guardians’ main free agent, has given up three dingers and walked 12 in 23.2 frames. And Tim Herrin, the other southpaw wias Sabrowski, has struggled to throw strikes, walking 19 in 28.2 innings.

Daniel Espino might be an option down the road, but right now he’s showing he’s not ready to pitch in the big leagues. Which leaves the question as to why Franco Aleman, with an 0.33 ERA at AAA isn’t with the big club.

However, to win a third straight Central Division title, and with the AL West struggled, a bye into the Division Series, the Guardians are going to need to put more runs on the board. They have had a bottom of the league offense now for a season and a half.

Getting DeLauter back help, but hopefully the front office can get a solid bat at the trade deadline. It would certainly save the fingernails of Guardians’ fans everywhere.