Over the past decade, no team in baseball has done a better job of developing great starting pitchers than the Cleveland Guardians. From Corey Kluber to Carlos Carrasco, Shane Bieber to Triston McKenzie, the team’s track record of developing talented pitchers continues to be a strength. In recent years, a team’s success and its ability to make the postseason often rests on the shoulders of its starting pitchers.
This season, the Guardians are employing a different strategy as they try to stay atop the American League Central Division.
The Guardians’ offense has been the team’s driving force for nearly the first two months of the season, and after 50 games, Cleveland (33-17) is tied for fifth in MLB in runs scored and fifth in the league with a +65 goal differential.
Unlike teams like the Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers, and Orioles, the Guardians’ lineup doesn’t have the type of star player typically found among baseball’s best offensive lines. Third baseman Jose Ramirez is a superstar talent at the core of Cleveland’s lineup. And after an uncharacteristically slow start, the five-time All-Star is starting to hit his stride, posting an OPS above 1.000 in his last 15 games. First baseman Josh Naylor has made a name for himself as one of the best hitters in the American League, and since the start of last season, Naylor’s batting average of .291 ranks 11th in baseball. His increased power since coming to Cleveland has provided a much-needed boost to his hitting.
The offensive leap has been surprising, even with a standout superstar like Ramirez and a rising star like Naylor. Last season, the Guardians were 27th in the major leagues in runs scored and third in the AL Central, their best showing since finishing third in runs scored in 2018.
For Cleveland to make that kind of leap, it needed production from elsewhere in the lineup, especially while Steven Kwan, who led the AL in hitting, was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
It takes more than one player to make up for Kwan’s absence, and the Guardians got that from three players. Second baseman Andres Jimenez, center fielder Tyler Freeman and utility player David Frye all contributed significantly. Jimenez returned to his 2022 form, making his first All-Star appearance and finishing sixth in AL MVP voting. The 25-year-old second baseman owns an .844 OPS over the past two weeks.
Freeman and Frye are two little-known players who have started to make a name for themselves over the past month. Freeman is tied for the team lead in doubles, and Frye has a team-leading OPS of 1.076, so it’s no exaggeration to say they are Cleveland’s best hitters this season.
Just like under former manager Terry Francona, the Guardians have maintained the same DNA under first-year manager Steven Vogt, aggressively running the basepaths. Not only are they accumulating runs, they’re also fifth in the MLB in stolen bases.
The Guardians are looking to hold on to first place in the AL Central, but don’t expect any big moves at the trade deadline in October. Cleveland has not been a team that has made big moves at the trade deadline. Most of their moves have been internal, with one or two ancillary moves to bolster the roster.
Can Cleveland’s offense maintain this level or even improve as we approach June? Kwan’s return in the coming weeks should provide immediate impact and momentum, and Ramirez could carry the team for several weeks if he plays at his usual level.
The beauty of the early season’s success is that it didn’t come from one person, which may be why Guardians can continue production.
The Guardians’ new offensive talent comes at a great time, as the Royals appear to be the Guardians’ closest rival in the division, and with Kansas City’s starting pitching staff being one of the best in baseball, a lineup that can score runs will be a boon to Cleveland’s pursuit of the division title.
Any team in the American League that wants to make the postseason in the bigger divisions needs to score runs. The Guardians, Yankees, Royals and Orioles are all in the top 10 in MLB in runs scored.
The Guardians are a good team and are beginning to stabilize after dealing with injuries to their starters early on, while their relief pitchers are among the best in baseball, but their offense’s ability to consistently score runs makes them a well-rounded team that can give up leads to pitchers and show the ability to fight back.
