The Cleveland Guardians might have stumbled onto something weird. Or maybe it’s just delicious. Either way, Travis Bazzana is torching pitchers right now, and the team is crediting a jar of Vegemite.
Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Australia, has been one of the more exciting rookies in the game this season. He entered Saturday night’s game with a .251/.346/.420 slash line, seven homers, 12 doubles and 12 stolen bases. Not bad for a 23-year-old second baseman adjusting to life in the big leagues.
But the last couple days have been something else. The Guardians posted on their X account Friday that since they gave Bazzana Vegemite in the clubhouse on Thursday — and they made sure to note they weren’t kidding — he’s batting .600 with a double and two RBIs. That tweet came after Bazzana delivered a clutch RBI hit early in Friday’s game.
Look, correlation isn’t causation. But Bazzana was in a slump before that Vegemite showed up. Now he’s looking like an All-Star candidate. The timing is hard to ignore.
Bazzana’s Role Just Got Bigger
This hot stretch comes at a critical time for Cleveland. Jose Ramirez is out with an injury, and the Guardians need someone to step up in the middle of the lineup. Bazzana has done exactly that. He’s not just putting up numbers — he’s coming through in big spots.
The Guardians beat the White Sox 6-5 on Thursday thanks to a walk-off homer from Brayan Rocchio. Then they won again Friday, with Bazzana driving in a run early. They’re going for a second straight win Saturday night.
Bazzana should get serious consideration for American League Rookie of the Year. He might even sneak onto the All-Star team as a reserve. A lot of that depends on how he finishes the first half, but this kind of stretch grabs attention.
Maybe it’s the Vegemite. Maybe it’s just a talented kid figuring it out. Either way, the Guardians will take it.
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