The Cleveland Guardians are in a weird spot. They’re sitting second in the AL Central, holding onto a wild card spot by just one game over the Minnesota Twins. Their pitching has been great again. But their lineup is a mess, and it’s the same old story in Cleveland.
Then Jose Ramirez landed on the injured list. That made everything more complicated. Suddenly, the team’s trade deadline shopping list shifted. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Guardians have some clear priorities as they wait for Ramirez and outfielder Angel Martinez to get healthy.
His report says a right-handed hitting first baseman is at the top of the list. That makes sense when you look at the numbers.
The Guardians signed Rhys Hoskins in the offseason specifically to solve their right-handed power problem. It hasn’t worked. Hoskins is hitting .181 with nine homers and 31 RBIs. Not great. The left-handed Kyle Manzardo hasn’t been much better either. He’s batting .219 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs. So the middle of the order just isn’t producing.
Rosenthal also notes that Cleveland might go after a starting pitcher. They’ve used only five starters all season, which is a pretty thin rotation for a team trying to contend. And they could probably use another reliever too. Because why not add to the bullpen if you can?
Here’s the ugly part. The Guardians rank 29th in batting average, 22nd in on-base percentage, 29th in runs scored, 26th in home runs, and dead last — 30th — in slugging percentage. That’s not a lineup that scares anyone. Brayan Rocchio has had some bright moments this season, but he can’t carry the offense by himself. Nobody else has stepped up consistently to help Ramirez handle the load.
So the front office has to figure out what to do before the trade deadline. Do they chase a big right-handed bat? Do they go after a starter to shore up the rotation? Or do they try to do both? They’re in a playoff spot right now, but that hold is fragile. One bad week and they could fall out.
It’s a classic Cleveland problem. Good pitching. Not enough hitting. And now they have to make moves with Ramirez on the mend and time running out.
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