CLEVELAND — For the Guardians, the first half of the season was about exceeding expectations. The new manager made the transition seem seamless as he replaced a future Hall of Famer. A lineup that had no success at the plate increased its home run total. José Ramírez extended his prime, Josh Naylor swung a furious bat and Steven Kwan flirted with the .400 mark. A bullpen full of unfamiliar faces came to the rotation’s rescue time and time again.
It was a team’s attempt to avoid the disappointment everyone was sure was coming, a long, drawn-out freefall into reality for a club few expected to win more than 85 games.
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Three takeaways from the Cleveland Guardians’ first half of the season
And now, for the Guardians, the second half is about keeping the foot on the accelerator. This is a title race. The joyous journey through 162 games will reach a critical mass and the results will carry more weight.
How much magic does this group of Guardians have left?
Will management succeed in recruiting the necessary new talent?
Like many teams, the Guardians need a boost in their starting rotation. It’s not just a matter of finding someone to throw the ball to, say, in Game 3 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium. They need help at starting pitcher level to survive the 162-game series.
Remember the old refrain “Sphan and Sain and pray for rain”? The Guardians are also lacking in options to inspire confidence. “Williams and Bibee and maybe Ben Lively” doesn’t sound right. “Gav and Tan and prayer is the plan” doesn’t sound like it.
Much of the talk surrounding the trade deadline has focused on how difficult it will be for contenders to acquire a player who can make a difference in their rotation. But once new players emerge, there should be enough supply to meet the Guardians’ demands. They shouldn’t be picky. Their rotation ranks last in the majors in WAR. Even if they don’t get a first-line starter, it would be beneficial to land someone who can simply chew up innings.
But the work of president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff doesn’t stop there. There’s room for another hitter. Maybe a reliever, too. The Guardians have the luxury of defensive versatility, with Daniel Schneemann, David Fry and Angel Martínez playing in the field, allowing them to add virtually any hitter to their roster via trade.
Cleveland management has typically been aggressive when the club overachieves in the first four months of a season. They acquired Ubaldo Jiménez in 2011 (though it was more of a pseudo-competition than that) and Andrew Miller (plus Brandon Guyer and, almost, Jonathan Lucroy) in 2016. In recent years, the club has lagged through the first half of the season, leading to sales in 2021 and 2023 and silence in 2022, despite a potential playoff push.
This year is different. The Guardians have been right alongside the titans of the league since day one. The fan base seems galvanized, with attendance numbers sparkling. It seems like an opportune time for management to pounce and round out the roster with some upgrades.
Which recruits will prove they belong?
There are essentially four everyday players on Cleveland’s roster. Manager Stephen Vogt never hesitates to mention the names of Kwan, Ramirez, Josh Naylor and Andrés Giménez. But everything else is up for grabs. Fry has fallen out of favor, which calls into question his ability to play part-time. Bo Naylor and Will Brennan have yet to see everyday playing time. Tyler Freeman hasn’t really made a difference. And then there’s a collection of rookies trying to shore up their rankings.
Martinez has thrived, albeit in a small sample size. Schneemann and Jhonkensy Noel have shown some useful traits. Brayan Rocchio has been disappointing as a regular shortstop. Kyle Manzardo hasn’t provided much punch in his first try. Johnathan Rodriguez has made a few brief appearances. The Guardians need some of these guys to demonstrate that they should be part of the core going forward.
Can the bullpen maintain its dominance?
One way to make up for an unusually lackluster rotation? Boasting the league’s most prolific bullpen. What Hunter Gaddis, Cade Smith, Tim Herrin and, of course, Emmanuel Clase have accomplished this season is remarkable, especially considering all three rookies weren’t allowed into the major league bullpen until after training camp. Nick Sandlin, Scott Barlow, Sam Hentges and even Pedro Avila have also contributed to the effort.
The question is whether this group can maintain that level of production, given Vogt’s importance to them. Hentges is sidelined with shoulder inflammation, his second stint on the injured list. All three rookies are new to this, to varying degrees. Fifteen American League relievers have made at least 43 appearances. Five of them pitch for the Guardians.
There was expected to be depth down low, but injuries derailed what were expected to be promising seasons for Franco Aleman and Nic Enright. Andrew Walters, the organization’s second-round pick last summer, struggled with command in Triple-A. It might be wise for the club to add another steady reliever for the final stretch.
The schedule for the second half of the season is not very lenient
A trip to Philadelphia is the ultimate litmus test, and the Guardians will experience it just before the July 30 trade deadline. So will a four-game series against the Orioles a few days later. A four-game series over three days in Minneapolis in early August isn’t ideal for a team with starting pitching issues. A road trip against the Brewers and Yankees in mid-August isn’t a boon, either. The Guardians have a wild road trip to face the Royals, Dodgers and White Sox as they zigzag across the country in early September. The White Sox, the lone weak spot on this 10-day road trip, have more wins against Cleveland than any other team this season.
The Guardians have played 13 of their last 16 games at Progressive Field, where they own an MLB-best 30-11 record. That stretch includes four straight games against the Rays and Twins, a trip to St. Louis to face a Cardinals team that could be in the thick of the National League playoff race, a quick visit from the Reds and then a three-game series against the resurgent Astros to close out the regular season.
(Top photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)