Cleveland Sports Forum

Padres-Guardians primer: Lots of familiar faces, trade history, storylines

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Mike Clevinger throws against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning of a spring training baseball game, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
By Zack Meisel and Dennis Lin
May 3, 2022
14

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It’s the Padres against the Padres-adjacent the next two days at Progressive Field. One dugout will host the outfit San Diego president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has constructed, the other will host a collection of players Preller traded to Cleveland. Mike Clevinger will make his long-awaited return on a mound he knows well. Cal Quantrill will start against his former club the following afternoon. The middle third of Guardians manager Terry Francona’s lineup — Owen Miller, Josh Naylor and Franmil Reyes — includes three former Padres. The prospect the Guardians promoted for a doubleheader during their previous homestand? A former Padre. The left-handed pitcher they designated for assignment Sunday? A former Padre. The bat boy who fills Francona’s buckets of bubble gum before each game? A former Padre. (OK, maybe not.)

Point is, Cleveland team president Chris Antonetti has spent more time on the phone with Preller the last few years than (probably) any other human who isn’t in the Antonetti family tree. These two teams have dealt with each other a ton since they swapped Brad Hand, Adam Cimber and Francisco Mejía in July 2018. They completed a seismic trade each of the two subsequent summers. San Diego even pushed to acquire José Ramírez a month ago.

But, Dennis, let’s start with this before these teams full of familiar faces square off Tuesday night: What are the expectations for Clevinger, 20 months removed from the trade and a year and a half removed from his second Tommy John surgery? And how is his companion on the coaching staff, former Cleveland Pitching Factory foreman Ruben Niebla?

Dennis Lin: Zack, I don’t need to tell you this, not after you covered him for several seasons, but expect Clevinger to be amped. He was amped when the Padres hired Niebla, a move he’s said he pushed for since he was traded. He was amped March 29 when he pitched in a major-league game, albeit an exhibition, for the first time since his surgery. And he definitely will be amped for this return/reunion. His Cleveland tenure, of course, did not end on the best note. He’d love to show his former teammates and coaches that he’s still the pitcher who grooved and thrived along the shores of Lake Erie.

He and the Padres would be wise to temper early expectations, though. Clevinger might have been too amped for that March 29 outing in the Cactus League. (He rushed through his delivery on the way to surrendering eight runs in 1 2/3 innings.) Then he opened the season on the injured list because of knee soreness. He looked decent across three rehab starts, but in the last of those, he built up to throwing merely 67 pitches. The Padres are going to ease him back into action. Four or five innings against his old team might suffice as a promising start.

It should help having Niebla in the visiting dugout. And thanks in part to Clevinger’s effusive praise, the coach has already earned the trust of many of the Padres’ other pitchers. Manager Bob Melvin has wondered aloud why, after so many years in baseball, this is Niebla’s first job as a lead pitching coach in the majors. Those two seem to share at least a couple of qualities: a thorough understanding of analytics and a great feel for people. Some fans are crediting Niebla for “fixing” Wednesday’s Padres starter, the resurgent MacKenzie Gore. That’s going a bit overboard — Niebla and Gore haven’t had much time together yet — but by all accounts, Niebla has been as advertised.


Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla spent more than two decades in the Cleveland organization. (Orlando Ramirez / USA Today)
On another note, those same fans would like to know: What’s gotten into Owen Miller?

Zack Meisel: It seems as though every pitcher who ascended to Cleveland’s big-league roster in the last decade has credited Niebla in some facet of their development. The organization remains confident in its approach to pitching instruction, but there’s no doubt he’s missed after spending more than 20 years with the franchise.

As for Miller, well, maybe there was an impostor wearing his No. 6 uniform last season.

60 games in 2021: .551 OPS, eight doubles, nine walks, 54 strikeouts
17 games in 2022: 1.105 OPS, nine doubles, eight walks, 14 strikeouts

This is the hitter Cleveland hoped for when it made the Clevinger trade, a player who possessed some power and patience and a knack for making contact. Will Miller maintain a .377/.444/.660 slash line for another five months? Probably not, but his metrics — he’s hitting the ball really hard, doing so a lot and almost never swinging and missing — suggest it’s fair to expect him to remain a regular contributor.

Miller was one of six players acquired in that Clevinger deal, along with Josh Naylor (who has joined Miller in the middle of the Guardians’ order after recovering from a harrowing leg injury), Quantrill, Gabriel Arias, Austin Hedges and Joey Cantillo.

Are the Padres missing any of these guys? Obviously, they didn’t bank on Clevinger missing an entire season, but is there any regret about the group they sent to Cleveland in 2020?


Owen Miller watches one of his nine doubles, second most in the majors. (Ken Blaze / USA Today)
Lin: The Padres’ argument was, and still is, that none of these guys were ever going to become real dudes in San Diego. They needed top-shelf pitching for a playoff run, and Clevinger was already a dude. But yeah, in this case, hindsight has not been kind to them.

The 2021 Padres had plenty of star power but not enough depth up and down the 40-man roster. This is where players like Miller and Quantrill could have come in handy; San Diego fielded perhaps the thinnest bench in the league, and it ran out of starting pitching. The 2022 Padres have addressed some of those issues, largely by running a $209 million payroll, but they still feature obvious weaknesses, especially on offense. Miller, in particular, would be useful right now. The Padres have been rostering 21-year-old infield prospect CJ Abrams because they have to, not because it’s the best thing for his development. He’s predictably struggled, with a .570 OPS in 16 games.

The Clevinger trade also might serve as a referendum on the Padres’ questionable track record of player development. If Quantrill and Miller had been retained, would they have excelled like they have lately? Maybe not.

Clevinger still has a handful of months to salvage some value for San Diego. Speaking of value, what’s happened to Reyes? The Padres have missed his infectious personality, and they’re barely getting any production out of their DH spot, but I do think they saw some of this eventually coming when they moved a clubhouse favorite in 2019.

Meisel: Reyes is in one of those slumps where even if you aren’t aware of his slash line — it’s .139/.171/.215, by the way — you can get a sense of it from any seat in the ballpark, based on his body language, swing decisions and/or frustration with the home-plate umpire. His metrics are brutal: at or near the bottom of the league in strikeout rate, whiff rate, walk rate and expected output. He has struck out in nearly half of his plate appearances, a league-leading 38 times.

The Guardians need his power, too. There’s a lineup full of contact-oriented hitters around him, and when they struggle to string together walks, singles and doubles, it helps to have his muscle in the middle. Instead, he’s struggled to the point where Francona has dropped him in the order, much earlier in the season than he usually makes such a move with a veteran. Reyes’ track record would suggest he’ll eventually reverse course, but … it’s been ugly.

Reyes and Hedges are two of the more vocal members of Cleveland’s clubhouse, especially if ranking by decibel level. Their leadership is important for a team with the league’s youngest roster.

Reyes came to Cleveland with Logan Allen — who was designated for assignment Sunday — in the Trevor Bauer deal, which netted the Padres Taylor Trammell, whom San Diego later traded as part of the package to land Austin Nola, who supplanted Hedges at catcher. Man, chronicling all of Preller’s wheeling and dealing can make one’s head spin.

Speaking of which, it’s no surprise these teams discussed a Ramírez trade before the start of the season. By now Siri knows whom Antonetti is attempting to dial when he asks to “Call A.J.”

Lin: That trade would have been bonkers. Abrams might have been the headliner going back to Cleveland, but for a player of Ramírez’s caliber, I imagine the Guardians were rightfully asking for multiple additional pieces. If they’d come to an agreement, the Clevinger deal would have paled in comparison. And even though Ramírez is newly signed to an extension and has a no-trade clause, I would never rule out Preller making another attempt in the future.

In the meantime, the Padres are in a decent spot. They’re 15-8 despite the aforementioned weaknesses and the absence of Fernando Tatis Jr. Melvin and Niebla have been breaths of fresh air. Clevinger could provide a boost for a rotation that’s already humming.

All of this isn’t to say that Preller will be content sitting still. He doesn’t really know how to, at least not for long. Maybe this two-game series will set the groundwork for more deals between these teams?

Meisel: There’s no sense in betting against that. They already know each others’ organizations as well as they know their own. How about an Amed Rosario-for-Dinelson Lamet swap? On second thought, let’s leave this to Preller and Antonetti. It’s about time for their daily phone call anyway.

‘The bottom falls out’
Bryan Shaw doesn’t want any credit for Trevor Stephan’s devastating splitter, which has vaulted the second-year reliever from roster stowaway to growingly trustworthy setup man (despite his first misstep of the season on Wednesday).

“I have no comment on Trevor Stephan’s splitter,” Shaw told The Athletic. “It’s really good. That’s all I have.”

Let’s start here: Shaw showed Stephan the grip for the pitch, the same way J.J. Putz, the former Arizona closer, taught Shaw that pitch a decade ago. Shaw tried to throw the pitch early in his career, but for every one effective splitter, he’d toss seven or eight clunkers.

“He’s been able to make it really good all the time,” Shaw said.

Stephan, plucked from the Yankees system in the Rule 5 draft before the 2021 season, ranks at or near the top of the league leaderboard in just about every noteworthy category, which explains why his ERA remained spotless until he surrendered two runs Wednesday. Entering the day, the right-hander ranked in the 89th percentile or better in opponent exit velocity, walk rate (that’ll take a hit), strikeout rate, whiff rate, fastball velocity and a slew of expected stats that are dictated by opposing hitters’ quality of contact.

It’s the splitter, a pitch he started toying with last summer, that has made the difference. Instead of twiddling his thumbs while sitting in the bullpen, he started fidgeting with his index and middle fingers until he pinpointed a comfortable placement on the baseball. The pitch has added a new dimension to his arsenal and made him exponentially more difficult for batters to conquer.

“It’s a fastball for a long time,” catcher Austin Hedges said, describing the pitch’s appearance from a hitter’s perspective. “That’s the beauty of the splitter: It comes out hard like a heater and then, obviously, there’s the speed differential and the bottom falls out.”

Stephan tossed the splitter only 8 percent of the time last season, and almost exclusively to lefties, instead using his slider as a secondary pitch. This year, he has gained so much confidence in the pitch, he’s thrown it just about equally to lefties and righties and, overall, four times as often as he did in 2021.

His average fastball clocks in at 96.2 mph. His splitter registers at 87.1 mph, and hitters whiff at it on nearly half of their attempts to make contact. Stephan tunnels the two pitches, throwing them from the same angle to trick hitters into thinking the splitter is the fastball, which might explain why Oakland’s Chad Pinder offered at one that bounced before it reached the plate last weekend.

“The only way to get better with it is to throw it,” Stephan said. “It’s a confidence thing, getting used to throwing it right-on-right or in certain counts, just trusting that you can throw a pitch around the zone to get a swing-and-miss or get weak contact.”

Nine players have swung and missed at a Stephan splitter for strike three this season. The list of casualties includes Mike Trout, Tim Anderson, José Abreu and Bobby Witt Jr.

“I think that’s opened up different avenues for him to attack different places with his fastball and not rely on his slider so much,” bullpen coach Brian Sweeney said.

Hedges thought last season that Stephan could develop into “an elite big-league reliever” with just his fastball and slider.

“I think his slider is that good,” Hedges said.

And now?

“Now, I don’t feel like calling for the slider ever because he has such an elite weapon,” Hedges said.

Only two of Stephan’s 34 pitches Wednesday were sliders.

As for the one player to “solve” Stephan’s splitter? San Diego’s Jurickson Profar, facing an 0-2 count, offered a checked swing at a splitter that missed the strike zone by a few zip codes. His unintentional contact resulted in an RBI double down the left-field line.


Courtesy of Baseball Savant
Hedges compared Stephan to Kirby Yates, the former San Diego closer who was an All-Star in 2019 with a 1.19 ERA, a league-leading 41 saves and 101 strikeouts in 60 innings. Yates spent about six weeks in Cleveland’s organization during the winter preceding the 2016 season, long before he emerged as a dominant reliever.

“He didn’t have the splitter yet,” Hedges said.

Yates added the pitch to his repertoire in 2017, and it was an instant success, as hitters went 1-for-34 with 28 strikeouts against it that season.

“That guy was one of the best relievers in baseball for a couple years,” Hedges said. “The seasons he had, some of the stuff we were able to do, it’s given me some thoughts on how I can call Stephan’s game. As long as he keeps executing like he is, I can call similar games to how I did for Kirby.”

Stephan prioritized improving his hip mobility over the winter, which has allowed him to repeat his delivery more consistently. He uses a core velocity belt each day, a contraption that holds a pitcher’s waistline in place to point out errors in the delivery and reinforce more efficient patterns, something Sweeney and former assistant pitching coach Ruben Niebla encouraged last year.

Stephan made 43 appearances for Cleveland in 2021, often in mop-up duty. At times, he went more than a week without pitching. His strikeout rate was strong, but his walk and home run rates were too high to convince the coaching staff he deserved higher-leverage opportunities.

Now, he almost exclusively pitches in the late innings, and usually when the score is close.

“There were times last year when you wondered, ‘Is this guy going to figure it out?’” Sweeney said. “But you keep teaching, keep talking to him, have the conversations, let him grow. He needed failure to understand that he had to get better. That’s the best teacher, right? Failure. He learned what it took to be a major-league reliever, and now he’s showing he’s a pretty good one.”

And that pleases Shaw, even if he’s slightly — and mostly light-heartedly — envious.

“Always the proud uncle,” Shaw said.

it didn't work yesterday, but nobody's perfect.

Rosenthal: Reasons for Reds’ collapse; plus Guardians, Yankees winning in different ways


By Ken Rosenthal
May 5, 2022
59


Reds general manager Nick Krall is not of the mind to identify a scapegoat. Not in the manager’s office, not on the coaching staff, not among the medical and training personnel.

“If somebody wants to blame somebody, they should blame me,” Krall said Thursday after the Reds fell to 3-22. “We don’t have enough depth to combat this. Did we do a good enough job in the offseason of signing players, making trades? Maybe not.

“It’s hard to make excuses. There are a lot of good people in this organization who have done really good jobs. Right now, we’re in a perfect storm, and we’re trying to dig our way out of it.”

Any Reds fan could name the actual scapegoats — owner Bob Castellini and his son, team president Phil Castellini. Neither has taken responsibility. No one should be shocked if they order a token firing or two. Except even Phil Castellini might not have the gall to pull such a stunt after his infamous Opening Day comment about why fans should be patient: “Well, where are you gonna go?”

Castellini said that in a radio interview, doubled down in a TV interview and then issued an apology at around 9 that night. A more meaningful apology, of course, would be for the gutting of the franchise last offseason. The loss of left-hander Wade Miley to a waiver claim. The trades of catcher Tucker Barnhart, right-hander Sonny Gray, left fielder Jesse Winker, third baseman Eugenio Suárez and reliever Amir Garrett. And, of course, the free-agent departure of right fielder Nick Castellanos, which followed the non-tendering of reliever Archie Bradley after the 2020 season and trade of closer Raisel Iglesias to the Angels prior to his own free agency last summer.

Krall, surely biting his tongue, said in November the Reds needed to “align our payroll to our resources.” The resulting $114.3 million Opening Day payroll still ranked 21st in the majors. But when injuries struck — and man, have they struck — the Reds’ lack of depth proved crushing.

As of Thursday, the Reds had 15 players on the injured list, including ace right-hander Luis Castillo, reigning NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India, former MVP Joey Votto and three other members of the Opening Day lineup — Tyler Naquin, Nick Senzel and Jake Fraley. The team with the next-highest number of players on the IL was the Rays with 11.

Granted, Votto’s .413 OPS was the third-lowest in the majors, but focusing on any one player misses the point. The larger problem is that a gap in the Reds’ farm system forced the team to fill about three-quarters of its Triple-A roster with minor-league free agents, as opposed to prospects on the verge of major-league breakthroughs.

The injuries pushed some of those minor-league free agents to the majors. The farm system, while better at the lower levels, ranks only 19th, according to The Athletic’s Keith Law. The team’s international program, for the greater part of the previous decade, was one of the worst in the league.

Combine all that with a difficult early schedule — 11 of the Reds’ first 13 games were on the road, and four of their first eight series were against teams that made the NL playoffs last season — and 3-22 is not so difficult to imagine. The Reds are excited about some of their young talent, including right-hander Hunter Greene, who allowed five homers (gulp) to the Brewers on Thursday, and lefty Nick Lodolo, who is scheduled to return Saturday from a lower back strain. But they need more such players, and more veteran talent to help the youngsters progress on an appropriate timetable.

Too often, the Reds have sought short-term help without a long-term plan. In Dec. 2018, under previous GM Dick Williams, they attached infielder Jeter Downs and pitcher Josiah Gray to Homer Bailey’s contract to acquire four major leaguers from the Dodgers, including Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, only to see the Dodgers later flip Downs for Mookie Betts and Gray for Max Scherzer. During the 2019-20 offseason, the Reds loaded up with free agents, only to start tearing down a year later. On Aug. 31, 2020, they traded outfielder Stuart Fairchild to the Diamondbacks for Bradley, only to non-tender Bradley a little more than three months later. Fairchild is now in the majors with the Mariners.

Krall took over at the end of the 2020 season and refused last winter to repeat the previous mistake of sacrificing young talent to purge inflated contracts. His deals were largely panned, but he did acquire two of the Reds’ top 10 prospects, right-hander Chase Petty and lefty Brandon Williamson, in the Gray and Suarez/Winker trades.

“We have to develop our internal prospects to be successful here. No matter what we do, we have to be able to do that,” Krall said. “We need to make sure we’re making the best decisions every day for the long-term health of this franchise. If we’re not, then we’re doing this franchise a disservice.”

The Reds’ record reflects not just one dismal offseason, but years of mismanagement. No wonder Krall is reluctant to assign blame to anyone below him. The problems go so much deeper than any one person. And they start at the top.

Guardians on the offensive
Look no further than the Reds’ intra-state rivals for an example of how a low-revenue team should handle young talent. The Guardians’ $68.2 million Opening Day payroll ranked 27th in the majors, and was more than $45 million below the Reds’. Yet Cleveland, which traditionally relies on its pitching, entered Thursday averaging 4.63 runs per game, tied for fifth in the majors.

The wondrous José Ramírez, third in the majors in OPS, is not the only reason for the Guardians’ offensive surge. Neither is rookie right fielder Steven Kwan, one of the biggest surprises of the first month. Three other 25-and-under players — shortstop Owen Miller, infielder Andrés Giménez and first baseman Josh Naylor — also were making sizable offensive contributions. A more recent callup, left fielder Richie Palacios, has had his moments as well.

Will it last? Perhaps not, considering the peaks and valleys most young players experience. But Guardians officials like not just the results from their youngsters, but also the consistent quality of their at-bats. If their pitching returns to its usual form, a wild-card run would at least appear possible. When the team is in contention, owner Paul Dolan generally approves midseason additions.

Yankees on the defensive

I was among those who questioned why the Yankees believed a combination of third baseman Josh Donaldson, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and catcher Ben Rortvedt was a better solution than keeping third baseman Gio Urshela and catcher Gary Sánchez, and signing free-agent shortstop Carlos Correa.

Well, as the Yankees’ recent 11-game winning streak attests, their plan was not without logic. The Yankees are performing well in every aspect of the game. Their rotation ranks fourth in the majors in ERA. Their bullpen is deep enough for manager Aaron Boone to unleash high-quality relievers Michael King and Clay Holmes when trailing in close games. Their offense after a slow start ranks second in runs per game, and their defense is perhaps the biggest difference in the club.

Kiner-Falefa stabilized shortstop. Another post-lockout addition, Jose Trevino, has helped Kyle Higashioka stabilize catcher, even though neither is hitting. The return of Aaron Hicks helped in center field, where Aaron Judge also has played above-average defense. Add in Donaldson at third and Anthony Rizzo at first, and general manager Brian Cashman says, “We have a much stronger defensive profile at almost all positions.”

Nearly a month into the season, the Yankees rank third in Defensive Runs Saved, an improvement from 29th last season. They are not faring as well in Outs Above Average, ranking 16th, but that rating, too, is significantly better than it was last season, when they were 25th.

Diamondbacks looking intriguing
The Diamondbacks were easy to dismiss when they started 3-8, and likely will finish fourth in the NL West even if everything clicks. Still, has anyone noticed their top three starting pitchers — Zac Gallen, Madison Bumgarner and Merrill Kelly — opened the season with a combined 1.34 ERA in 73 1/3 innings?

The impact of new pitching coach Brent Strom is difficult to quantify, especially when each of the D-Backs’ big three already had proven to be quite capable. Still, the early performances under Strom are tantalizing. Gallen is touching 97 mph and commanding both sides of the plate at 95. Bumgarner has increased velocity on both his four-seam fastball and cutter. And Kelly is displaying the form he demonstrated over a two-month stretch last summer before coming down with COVID-19.

Meanwhile, free-agent additions Mark Melancon and Ian Kennedy are stabilizing the back of the bullpen, and the Diamondbacks are back at .500 even though second baseman Ketel Marte and catcher Carson Kelly are woefully under-performing offensively. Which raises the question, albeit prematurely: What might the Diamondbacks do at the trade deadline?

Moving one of the big three starters would appear unlikely. Gallen is not yet eligible for arbitration. Kelly only a month ago agreed to a two-year, $18 million extension. Bumgarner, who can block deals to five clubs, is owed the balance of his $23 million salary this season, plus $37 million combined in 2023-24.

The Diamondbacks under general manager Mike Hazen have not gone into a full rebuild; if the team hangs around .500, it’s not inconceivable Hazen would take a run at the third wild card, and perhaps make an addition or two. Or, the D-Backs could take a mixed approach similar to the one they employed at the 2019 deadline, when they traded Zack Greinke to the Astros and acquired Gallen from the Marlins for second baseman Jazz Chisholm.

Kuhl latest to thrive as an ex-Pirate
It’s early, but Rockies right-hander Chad Kuhl looks like the latest pitcher to reach another level of success after leaving the Pirates, joining Gerrit Cole, Tyler Glasnow, Joe Musgrove and others.

The circumstances in each case are different, and the team’s current front office wasn’t responsible for the trades of Cole and Glasnow. Kuhl, though, essentially was a league-average starter in 2017 and 2018 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. In 2021, his first full season back, he spent more than a month on the injured list with right shoulder discomfort before producing an impressive seven-start stretch between June 18 and July 29.

The Pirates did not trade him, and shortly after the deadline Kuhl spent nearly three weeks on the injured list with COVID-19. Upon returning, the Pirates made him a reliever, a role in which he struggled mightily. The team then non-tendered him. The Rockies signed him to a one-year, $3 million free-agent contract. And now, back in his familiar role as a starter, Kuhl has a 1.90 ERA in 23 1/3 innings.

Son knows best
Mets right-handed reliever Drew Smith opened the season with 11 1/3 scoreless innings, prompting a question to manager Buck Showalter: “Is he better than you thought?”

Showalter replied, “He’s as good as I thought,” recalling a glowing report he received from his son, former Orioles scout Nathan Showalter, when Smith was a sophomore at Dallas Baptist.

After Buck took over as Mets manager in December, Nathan made sure to remind him about Smith. “As soon as I got the job, he said, “Drew Smith. Drew Smith. Drew Smith — he’s got it,” Buck said.

Durán: The Splinker Master
Right-hander Jhoan Durán, originator of the crazy-moving pitch known as the splinker, was the player the Twins wanted the most of the three prospects they received from the Diamondbacks for Eduardo Escobar on July 27, 2018.

Durán was a 20-year-old in A ball at the time, but the Twins were intrigued by his frame and arm, and viewed him as not fully developed. They thought they could clean up his mechanics, untap a bit more velocity. As Durán experimented with grips, he developed a splitter-sinker hybrid — hence, the splinker.

If not for the lost 2020 season and Durán’s limited work in 2021, the Twins might have continued developing him as a starter. But now they view him as a 1-2 inning reliever, and for good reason. Durán thus far has 19 strikeouts and two walks in 12 innings.

Around the horn
• Attention, deadline shoppers: Reds right-hander Luis Castillo is tentatively expected to return from shoulder soreness and make his season debut Monday against the Brewers. Castillo, if healthy, could be one of the top starting pitchers available, along with Athletics righty Frankie Montas.

Two other names to watch based upon their early showings, though neither exactly qualifies as a difference-maker: Rangers lefty Martín Perez (2.25 ERA in 28 innings, $4 million salary) and Pirates lefty Jose Quintana (3.38 ERA in 24 innings, $2 million salary).

• The Angels of late are all about Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Jarred Walsh and Taylor Ward. But two infielders they acquired separately from the Yankees in November — Andrew Velazquez (on a waiver claim) and Tyler Wade (for cash or a player to be named) — also are making important contributions.

Velazquez entered Thursday tied with the Cardinals’ Paul DeJong for the major-league lead at shortstop in Defensive Runs Saved, though the Angels surely will need him to hit better than .130 with a .392 OPS. Wade, too, is an above-average defender, and offers more offensive ability than Velazquez.

Considering the Angels essentially landed both players for free, the moves already qualify as winners.

• And finally, new this season:

MLB has installed cameras in every dugout, pointed at home plate. With the elimination of video replay rooms as part of the crackdown on illegal electronic sign stealing, the league wanted to give hitters a standardized angle of their plate appearances. The images go directly to the iPads the players are permitted to use during games.

That was Ken Rosenthal so it was an unbiased view from a non-fan and someone who does NOT cover the team.

Sometimes birds' eye view are best.

He had Miller as a shortstop which he isn't but that's OK, the point is they are perhaps developing a pool of decent although not extraordinary offensive players. Lineup with Straw-Kwan-Ramirez-Reyes-Miller-Naylor-Giminez is deeper than we've had for a long time. Richie Palacios may be a keeper. We think Rosario can probably return to offensive relevance.

Top Cleveland athletes right now, Amed Rosario’s future with Guardians, Cavs need athletic wings


By Jason Lloyd
May 6, 2022

You asked questions about the Guardians and the Cavaliers, and I have the answers.

Let’s get to it.

(Questions have been edited for clarity.)

What is the latest on David Blitzer? — Andrew L.

Nothing is official, but all of the conversations I had during spring training seemed to indicate things are still trending in that direction. The team is counting on Blitzer’s real estate savvy to aid in areas outside the stadium once he’s part of the organization. Until I hear otherwise, I expect the deal to eventually close, hopefully at some point this season.

When do the Guardians plan on revealing the real new logo? The G-winged baseball can’t be it. — Todd K.

I don’t like it, either. But I didn’t like the name Guardians and it’s starting to grow on me. Give it time. I bet they make some alterations to the logos as time goes on.

What are the Guardians going to do with Nolan Jones? He isn’t going to play 3B. How good is he in the OF? I think Naylor is going to lock up 1B, so that would leave a corner OF spot? — Richard S.

It’s a bit concerning that Jones turns 24 in a couple of days and has yet to make his major-league debut. He hasn’t played in a game yet this year as he continues working his way back from offseason ankle surgery and now it seems as if Steven Kwan and Richie Palacios have passed him by. Jones was once the organization’s top prospect, but he got off to a terrible start last year and struggled badly against lefties. His natural position, third base, is now seemingly gone forever in Cleveland to Jose Ramirez’s extension. If his bat plays, they’ll find a place for him in the outfield for him or at first, but we haven’t seen much proof of that to this point. It feels like he’s running out of time and might ultimately be nothing more than a platoon player in an organization stuffed full of prospects.

Will Amed Rosario be on the Guardians roster on August 1? What about April 1, 2023? — Kyle F.

This is a good question and something Zack Meisel and I were discussing the other day. It’s curious to me they’re leaving Rosario at short and playing Andres Gimenez at second even though Gimenez is the superior defender. It makes me wonder if second will be Gimenez’s long-term home (provided he keeps hitting), and they’re leaving short open for Gabriel Arias, who has nothing left to prove in Columbus. It was noteworthy to me Arias was recalled as the extra player in the doubleheader against the White Sox early this season and he played both games.

Rosario doesn’t seem to fit in left field long term, they have better options. I’ve long argued he’s a guy who is versatile enough to play all over the field in a utility role, but I think the odds he’s here next April are probably slim. There are too many players coming up behind him who probably have a higher ceiling.

Rank the best five Cleveland athletes right now (solely on athletic achievement and performance). Mine would be 1. Myles Garrett, 2. Jose Ramirez, 3. Nick Chubb, 4. Deshaun Watson, 5. Shane Bieber. It feels wrong leaving Darius Garland off the list, but I could be convinced of a different order — Andy J.

Until Myles Garrett wins NFL Defensive Player of the Year or Jose Ramirez is an MVP, my list has to start with Shane Bieber for his Cy Young. I also can’t put Watson on this list yet since he hasn’t taken a snap here, although I expect him to be very, very good. My list would go something like Bieber, Garrett, Ramirez, Chubb and Garland. Evan Mobley could be on it by this time next year.

Watching the Yankees pitching and the Padres in Cleveland, how much did we lose by letting Matt Blake and Ruben Niebla leave? I realize the front office has maintained stability, but wondering if they should be more focused on creating an organizational path for training/coaching talent. — Bill L.

Meisel has mentioned to me multiple times Niebla’s importance in building this pitching factory the team has created over the years, but you can’t keep them all. The smartest and best organizations keep finding players to fill the openings. The Yankees and Padres both have better numbers than Guardians pitchers, but the talent and experience on those staffs might have something to do with it. Carl Willis has done a fine job in Cleveland. It’s curious to me that everyone keeps dismissing his role here. First, it was Trevor Bauer getting the credit, then Niebla and Blake. They all were terrific, but Willis has done a fine job in his seat, too.

Jason, I’m worried about how Caris Levert fits in. I almost like Sexton’s game more. Thoughts on how things shake out with these two? — Matthew K.

The Cavs certainly have more time and energy invested into Sexton, and if they had to choose between the two, they’d probably side with Sexton. However, he’s a restricted free agent this summer and I’m fascinated to see how this plays out. I’ve been hard on Sexton in the past, but I absolutely believe there is a role for him on this team — if he’s willing to accept it and the contract that comes with it. If he can embrace being a bench player with a salary conducive to a reserve, there’s a path to get something done. If he is insisting on starter’s money, he might have a hard time finding it in a free agent market that doesn’t have a lot of dollars and with teams who primarily view him as a backup.


When he was healthy, Ricky Rubio was a great fit for the Cavs this season. (Jason Miller / Getty Images)
Any chance Ricky Rubio returns? He was sorely missed. — John M.

There were rumblings about a potential Rubio return after he was traded, so yes, anything is possible. He was a terrific fit after initially not wanting to come here. I’m just not sure the Cavs can sit around and wait for him to heal. He wouldn’t return until midway through the year. Also, what kind of player would he be after two ACL surgeries? It’s a risk. There’s no denying how much better this team was when he was on the floor, however.

The Cavs need a wing. Do you think they can take a shot at Miles Bridges? If not, who would be the guy(s) in the draft to watch? Thanks! — Ben G.

The Cavs’ biggest need is upgrading the wing position and therefore will look at every alternative. However, Bridges is a restricted free agent and will garner a lot of attention. Wings are coveted in the NBA. That means he’ll likely command a salary well north of the midlevel the Cavs can offer. Bridges is repped by old friend Rich Paul. His salary next year will likely be north of $20 million.

What are the chances the Cavs trade their first-round pick in a package to bring in a wing? — David C.

A lot has to be determined first, such as whether the Cavs beat the odds and make an incredibly unlikely leap up the lottery board. For now, let’s assume they stay at No. 14. It’s a lottery pick, but barely. Also, by league rule, they couldn’t trade the pick until after the draft. I certainly would shop it and perhaps even attach another guard to him, such as Sexton or LeVert, to see what it can attract. Unfortunately, I don’t think that combination would bring back the type of wing they’re seeking.

Seems like the Cavs need a Jimmy Butler-type addition to get to the next level. Will there be someone like that available via trade? — Lee M.

Barring something historic, the best wings will likely be long gone by the time the Cavs pick. They have something like a 2 percent chance of moving into the top 4 and less than a 1 percent chance of winning the lottery. By comparison, the Orlando Magic overcame the longest odds in league history to win the lottery when they cashed in on a 1.5 percent chance in 1993. In other words, they’re staying at 14.

As for a trade, wings are like quarterbacks and starting pitchers. Teams are always looking for them and don’t trade them once they have them. Will Utah break up its nucleus and trade Donovan Mitchell? I doubt it. Could Bradley Beal finally leave Washington? Perhaps. Philly seemed close to acquiring him this season. The Cavs have shown zero interest in trading Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen to this point, and rightfully so. That makes for a few other attractive trade pieces to land a player like Mitchell or Beal.

Realistically, who can the Cavs add to the squad to raise their ceiling? Are Love or Cedi trade candidates? — Michael D.

Cedi Osman had a terrific season and has a year left on his deal at a reasonable $6.7 million, but he’s not going to bring back great value in a deal. Kevin Love could be used to make the money match in a potential deal for someone like Mitchell, and while he had a terrific bounce-back season and certainly rebuilt some value around the league, I’m still not sure teams are lining up to pay him $29 million. My guess is he returns to Cleveland in a similar role he had last season and plays out the final year of his deal.

Is Malaki Branham as perfect a fit for the Cavs as I think he is? I’m biased as a Buckeye fan, but it seems like a good fit in the late lottery. — Scotty H.

Branham earned the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year award and certainly improved as the season progressed. He shot 42 percent from 3-point range and played well in the NCAA Tournament. There are questions about him defensively, but he has the length (6 foot 5) the Cavs need. I think he’s certainly worth looking at if they stay at No. 14, as expected.

If the Cavs begin next season with the same roster and a healthy Sexton and Rubio, is the offseason a failure? — Kyle F.

No. It’s really hard to go get what they need (wings), plus I’d like to see more of a Garland-LeVert-Lauri Markkanen-Mobley-Allen starting lineup. I’m not sure Markkanen is a long-term solution at the 3, but until something better comes along, it’s worth taking a longer look at him. Unfortunately, injuries prevented the Cavs from taking a look this season. The Cavs have time. Garland is going to improve. Mobley is going to get better. It’s just unfortunate that their biggest need is the hardest position to fill.

It’s so seldom that all three Cleveland front offices resemble top-tier talent. Compare and contrast the GMs of the Guardians, Browns and Cavs across relevant dimensions of your choosing. — Vince G.

This is the first time since probably the early 1990s I have full faith in the front offices for all three teams. The Guardians are always terrific, Koby Altman and this Cavs front office have proven they can identify young talent in the draft and the Browns finally seem to be pulling the rope in the same direction.

Because of the market we’re in, drafting and developing young talent is crucial to the Guardians and Cavs’ success. Free agency can be a little more forgiving in the NFL, but only to a certain point before the cap becomes problematic. Given the Deshaun Watson contract, the Browns are going to be doing cap gymnastics annually starting next season. Drafting and developing young talent is crucial for them, too. For the first time since John Hart, Wayne Embry and Ernie Accorsi were here, I think it’s safe to feel comfortable with the direction of all three teams. (Disclaimer: I realize all of that can change in a hurry.)

What are the odds of a Rubio / Cavs reunion in 2022-2023? — John T.

I’m not sure what other options he’ll have following his second ACL surgery. Before the injury, he was trending toward commanding a starting role and another decent contract in free agency if he chose. Now, I’m not so sure. He won’t be ready for the start of the season so how much interest will he elicit? I think there’s a decent chance he comes back because he fit so well and the organization loved having him, but it’s complicated by the injury and the fact he won’t be ready for the start of the season.

What do you see Collin Sexton’s role being in next season? Will he be a contributor to our offense, or do you think he provides more trade value than on-court value for the Cavs? — John K.

It depends on his contract. There aren’t many teams with a lot of money to spend this summer and all the teams I surveyed before the injury viewed him as a bench player. That means he likely won’t bring back a ton in a sign-and-trade deal. I’ve said it multiple times now and will keep repeating it: There is a role for him in Cleveland if he’s willing to accept it and the contract that comes with it. That was apparent by the end of the season when they were decimated with injuries and needed somebody who could just go get a bucket. That’s what Sexton is best at as long as you can live with the flaws. A bench role allows that.

Guardians prospects: Oscar Gonzalez could be forcing his way to Cleveland
by Adam Roberts22 hours ago


The young outfielder is mashing in Columbus and could soon be knocking down the door to Cleveland.

Oscar Gonzalez has walked a strange path since the end of the 2021 season. After being left off of the 40-man roster last November leading up to the Rule 5 Draft, it seemed likely he would be claimed by another club who could afford to stash a raw bat with plus power.

Due to the MLB lockout and the cancellation of the Rule 5 Draft, Gonzalez was able to stay in Cleveland’s organization. He opened the year with the Triple-A affiliate Columbus Clippers, and may be paving his way to the Guardians’ active roster at some point in the 2022 season.

The word out of Columbus
On the season, Gonzalez has swatted seven home runs while slashing .320/.340/.602 in 103 at-bats. His numbers have been good for an OPS of .942. It seems like every time the top performers are highlighted from the Clippers roster, the young outfielder’s name is mentioned.

The home runs aren’t all that surprising after his 2021 power surge, but the elevated average from .293 a year ago could help Gonzalez make the case that he’s ready to take on the bright lights in Cleveland. He’s also significantly reduced his strikeout rate, whiffing only 14 times thus far compared to 112 K’s in 478 at-bats a year ago, good for a 9% decrease.


Where Gonzalez has struggled is when looking at his splits between righties and lefties. He’s crushed right-handed pitching, but has been dominated by lefties thus far on the season. He’s slashed .359/.383/.692 off right-handed pitching, and only .200/.200/.320 against southpaws.

How Oscar Gonzalez potentially fits into the Guardians’ roster
Over the last couple of seasons, the Guardians have notably lacked consistent play in the outfield. Although there have been bright spots here and there, Cleveland has seen a constant shuffling in the search for the formula that works on both the offensive and defensive sides of the game.

If the Guardians could slot in Gonzalez as even a fourth outfielder, he could potentially provide the team with another bomber in the lineup, especially against right-handed pitching. With defensive maestros such as Myles Straw, Oscar Mercado and Steven Kwan already in Cleveland’s outfield, adding in Gonzalez could provide power that most other outfield options can’t match, even if his fielding prowess is not necessarily a strength. Adding his power bat to a collection of mostly contact-oriented hitters amongst the Guardian outfield could help to provide crucial depth to the lineup.

Why the Guardians roster presents obstacles for Gonzalez’s promotion
Cleveland’s active roster is currently full, and just underwent a crunch that saw Bobby Bradley and Logan Allen designated for assignment by the Guardians. With Straw, Kwan, and Mercado, as well as Richie Palacios, Josh Naylor and Franmil Reyes as potential options in the outfield, Gonzalez’s path to Cleveland becomes a bit murky.

Straw and Kwan have established themselves as core components of the outfield, and Palacios has had his moments since being promoted by the Guardians. Reyes has played some in the outfield but primarily fills the DH role, with Naylor playing some right field while also spending time at first. Mercado has also seen hot streaks at the plate through the first month, helping to secure his place on the roster in the short term.

With the current roster configuration and a couple of guys playing well (Straw, Kwan, and Naylor specifically), projecting how Gonzalez fits into the mix for the Guardians gets difficult. He could profile as a DH due to his size and power, but that slot is still blocked by Reyes as things currently stand. Without an injury or move necessitated by prolonged poor play, there are some legitimate obstacles to Gonzalez joining the active roster, regardless of how well he is playing.

What should the Cleveland Guardians do?
If he continues to rake at the plate, it is worth finding a way to give Gonzalez the cup of coffee that many hoped he would have by now. With the youth movement currently taking place in Cleveland, he would have plenty of former Akron and Columbus teammates around him, as well as savvy veterans who could provide guidance on how to handle life in the majors.

In the case of injury or prolonged slump involving one of the outfielders or Reyes at DH, Gonzalez could slot in and provide instant offense if the upward transition is relatively smooth (which is not guaranteed regardless of how hot the 24-year-old has been in Columbus). Even with a less-than-elite defensive skillset in the outfield, the offensive potential could easily mitigate the risk.

If he continues showcasing big-time power and hitting with consistency for the Clippers, Gonzalez should finally get his shot with Cleveland, potentially becoming a crucial bat for the Guardians down the stretch in 2022.

Of course there could be an injury. And him not being on the 40 is a problem

Mark, what do you think of Rosario as trade bait ?

Hi rusty - undoubtedly he has increased his value since the beginning of last season.

Teams now know what they are getting and it's a solid hitter who can play multiple positions adequately. That is actually useful for some contenders as you know.

On the other hand the injury to Arias just might make that a moot point until the trade deadline.

Seems to me Gimenez is not only proving himself, we just might have much more than we thought with this kid. Switch hitter who fields middle infield really well.

And he shows power AND the ability to hit the ball all over the field. This is the kid Antonetti saw when they dealt Lindor.

So the next couple months - if Gimenez continues his growth then Rosario is very expendable.

Just too many middle infield bodies. Ironic because really he fits in well with what the team is doing. In fact he was doing "contact hitting" last season.

Cleveland Guardians reliever Sam Hentges has been a revelation
by Steve DiMatteo2 hours ago Follow @steve_dimatteo




Guardians reliever Sam Hentges has emerged as a true force in a young Cleveland bullpen this season.

There has been plenty of talk about Trevor Stephan’s ascension to being a key piece of the Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen, but left-hander Sam Hentges has taken a big leap so far this season as well and has quickly become a dynamic, 6-foot-6 weapon.

After another scoreless outing Wednesday night, Hentges, 25, now sports a spectacular 0.82 ERA with zero walks and 15 strikeouts in his 11 innings of work.

It’s not to say that this has come completely out of nowhere because the former fourth-round pick has always had the talent, but it is a pretty stark turnaround from his 2021 rookie season, when Hentges had a 6.68 ERA in 30 appearances. That also included 12 starts when Cleveland’s rotation was in complete shambles, so Hentges really was thrust into the fire from the start.

Though Hentges struck out 68 batters in 68 2/3 innings last year, he also issued 32 walks and gave up ten home runs. Though his four-seam fastball, his primary pitch, can touch the mid-90s, teams hit .409 against it in 2021, which certainly didn’t help for a guy who was battling control issues at times.


But all that has changed in 2022.

Hentges has been a completely different pitcher to start the season and looks ready to become a major piece of the young bullpen. The four-seamer is still his primary pitch, but Hentges is locating it far better this year, and hitters only have a .214 average against it. Overall, Hentges is striking out nearly 40% of batters faced as well, which puts him in the top 3% of the league.

Hentges has begun to change up his secondary pitches, too. Last season, the curveball was his second pitch, thrown 25% of the time to great effect, though opposing hitters crushed his slider and sinker. This year, though, the slider and sinker have outpaced the curveball and they’ve been far more effective. The slider has been especially lethal for Hentges, as hitters have just a .165 xBA and a 47% whiff rate against it. According to his Statcast profile, it looks like Hentges is getting far better movement on the slider in 2022, which has turned that pitch into a perfect complement to his 95 mph heater.

Interestingly enough, Hentges has better split numbers against right-handed batters, who are hitting just .091 against him in 22 at-bats. Hentges has still been very effective against lefties (a .250 batting average), but it shows he’s far more than just a specialist.

As the young Guardians bullpen continues to evolve, guys like Hentges will start to emerge as part of what the team hopes to be a rock-solid core for the future. And if he stays this effective, Cleveland is going to have something special in the bullpen for years to come.

Hentges had been talked about a potential back of the bullpen guy back in his minor league days. In fact about 3 or 4 years ago I believe Baseball America had suggested him as the team's closer in their annual guess of the team roster 5 years in the future.

Certainly a huge boost if he can establish himself in leverage positions at the back end of the game.

How the Guardians are cultivating an atypical offensive identity that’s working



CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 07: Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) singles to drive in a run during the sixth inning of game two of the Major League Baseball doubleheader between the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Guardinas on May 7, 2022, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
By Zack Meisel


CLEVELAND — When Steven Kwan reached first base on a single Saturday, the runner-up for the 2021 American League MVP Award was waiting with a message.

“Hey, you can kind of hit, bro,” Vladimir Guerrero Jr. told the rookie.

“You can hit, too, man,” replied Kwan, who boasts a .316/.407/.461 slash line.

During the first month of his major-league career, Kwan has garnered considerable attention for his elite contact ability and advanced managing of the strike zone. Joey Votto, Brandon Belt and other infielders have showered him with compliments along his travels on the base paths.

Kwan’s output, though, embodies the offensive identity that Cleveland is cultivating, part of the blueprint new hitting coach Chris Valaika has sketched out for the organization. For a franchise revered for its high-functioning pitching factory, the Guardians are finally establishing a new brand in the batter’s box, one that represents the antithesis of many hitting trends across the league.

They work counts. They string together singles and doubles. They make a lot of contact. They make pitchers groan. They make umpires dip into their pockets for more baseballs. They make more noise at the plate than they have in recent years.

To this point, it has been a more refreshing hitting approach to consume, a more palatable style of offense … right?

“You put the adjective and put my name to it,” manager Terry Francona said, “because, yes, I love it.”

Cleveland leads the major leagues with a .257 team batting average. The Guardians rank third in the majors in runs per game (4.71), fourth in on-base percentage (.323), sixth in slugging percentage (.400) and fifth in wRC+ (116, which indicates they’ve created runs at a rate 16 percent better than the average team).

It’s far from a finished product, and the Guardians are only a month into the season, so don’t confuse this for some dramatic proclamation that Mike Hargrove’s Hall of Famer-filled outfit has company in the pantheon of historic Cleveland hitter collections.

But there is, at last, some direction, a readily apparent plan and, perhaps, the proper personnel to execute it.

“I think Valaika has done a really good job of preparing and getting them to understand what we’re trying to do,” Francona said.

So what, exactly, are they trying to do?

Cleveland's scoring history
2022
4.71
3rd
4.04
2021
4.43
18th
4.53
2020
4.13
25th
4.65
2019
4.75
15th
4.83
2018
5.05
3rd
4.45
2017
5.05
6th
4.65
2016
4.83
4th
4.48
2015
4.16
18th
4.25
When the organization set out to replace Ty Van Burkleo following his nine seasons as the hitting coach, it sought someone who could anchor a group of experts who would oversee the entire hitting operation. Instead of focusing solely on the big-league hitters’ cage sessions, the newcomer would aid in crafting the messaging and instruction that would be relayed via coaches and coordinators to hitters throughout the organization.

Members of the front office have admitted it’s a challenge to replicate the pitching factory setup on the hitting side. Data and technology on the pitching side are more advanced, and Cleveland has mastered the art of identifying the profiles of pitchers who can thrive in its system.

Where the Guardians feel they’ve made progress on the hitting side is in unearthing players who possess those innate, more unteachable qualities. Kwan, for instance, has off-the-charts hand-eye coordination. He credits his genes for that, while his parents suggest playing pinball as a toddler helped him develop that skill. That’s an example of a foundational attribute that’s difficult to add to a hitter’s repertoire. Meanwhile, Kwan’s power could blossom down the line (as was the case with José Ramírez and Francisco Lindor, for example), and his coaches insist that’ll happen once he learns the league’s pitchers and feels more comfortable accessing an aggressive approach when he’s ahead in the count.

It’s difficult — not impossible, but far from a simple fix — to revamp the profile of a hulking slugger with a seismic swing. Bobby Bradley isn’t going to magically start spraying offspeed pitches across the outfield. There are exceptions, of course. When Franmil Reyes was mired in his brutal slump in recent weeks, he attempted to shorten his swing and pinpoint pitches he could convert into opposite-field singles instead of aiming for one of his patented, moon-scraping home runs. Valaika has stressed using the entire field — “You have to use the whole field to earn the whole field,” he said — and Cleveland leads the majors in opposite-field percentage by a vast margin.

Reyes went 11-for-19 during the team’s homestand last week, with nine singles deposited to various areas of the outfield. His walk-to-strikeout rate remains unsightly, though he did claim a clubhouse prize for drawing Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman’s first free pass of the season.

“You have to know who your guys are and what they can do,” Valaika said.

It’s both an evolution in organizational philosophy and a playbook scripted by the hitters’ strengths. And many hitters in this Cleveland lineup excel at making contact.

“We don’t really need to ride or die on home runs,” Josh Naylor said. “We need to put the ball in play.”

The Guardians own the best contact rate in the majors (81 percent) by light years. The difference between Cleveland and second-ranked Colorado is the same as the difference between Colorado and the 13th-ranked team.

They own the best swinging-strike percentage in the majors (8.4 percent) by a mile. The difference between Cleveland and the second-ranked Dodgers is the same as the difference between the Dodgers and the eighth-ranked team.

They own the best O-contact percentage (contact on pitches outside the strike zone) by … a few kilometers (we’re running out of sensible, metaphorical units of measurement), at 71.3 percent. The difference between Cleveland and second-ranked Colorado is the same as the difference between Colorado and the 12th-ranked team.

They rank second in the majors in Z-contact percentage (contact on pitches inside the strike zone), as they trail San Diego by one-tenth of 1 percent.

They rank second in the majors in strikeout rate (19.7 percent), behind only Kansas City.

“We’re not the Yankees,” Myles Straw said. “We don’t go out there and hit the three-run bombs all the time. We have to hit our doubles, our singles. We’ll steal bases. We’ll go first to third. It’s our brand of baseball.”

Kwan, Naylor, Straw, Ramírez and Owen Miller have excelled in that domain. It’s no surprise they’ve occupied the top five spots in Francona’s order. That quintet doesn’t swing and miss often, and that helps them drive up pitch counts, which can wear out a hurler and expose his full selection of offerings and his tendencies.

“It rattles them, for sure,” Straw said.

“That’s a pride of joy for me,” Kwan added, “just break them down.”

Straw: 97th percentile whiff rate, 75th percentile strikeout rate
Kwan: 100th percentile whiff rate, 97th percentile strikeout rate
Ramírez: 98th percentile whiff rate, 100th percentile strikeout rate
Miller: 85th percentile whiff rate, 56th percentile strikeout rate
Naylor: 91st percentile whiff rate, 94th percentile strikeout rate

Kwan and Ramírez have walked more often than they have struck out. The only other players to do that (while carrying a walk rate of at least 10 percent): Juan Soto, Jesse Winker, Max Muncy, Alex Bregman, Josh Bell, Yandy Díaz and Alejandro Kirk.

The Guardians rank fourth in the majors in pitches per plate appearance. They swing at the first pitch less frequently than any other team. Ramírez, Kwan, Straw and Reyes all rank in the top 50 in the league in pitches per plate appearance. Andrés Giménez has drawn only two walks, but he, Miller and Richie Palacios would each rank highly if they had enough trips to the plate to qualify. After a dismal rookie campaign in 2021, Miller is enjoying a breakout season — only Taylor Ward, Manny Machado and Mike Trout have a better OPS — which he credits to his relationship with Valaika. The two started working together before the lockout.

“You can see a lot of guys in the offense who are really buying in to what we’re trying to do,” Miller said.

The club’s offensive strategy seems even more prudent now that MLB has sapped the juice out of the baseballs, and with restrictions on defensive shifting appearing imminent.

“That’s going to open up more hits as well,” Valaika said.

How sustainable it is remains to be seen, but the Guardians have assembled a cast of contact hitters who rely on patience and strike zone judgment, who never swing and miss and who constantly put the ball in play. They’re leaning on profiles that aren’t wholly dependent on maximizing exit velocity and targeting the bleacher seats. And that isn’t to say that some of that muscle isn’t coveted; a white-hot Reyes often approaching the plate with runners on base adds another dimension to the lineup. Some extra power from Naylor or Miller — or, eventually, Nolan Jones, Gabriel Arias, George Valera or a trade acquisition — would help, too.

This remodeling remains in the early stages, but the initial returns have been promising. The top four hitters in Cleveland’s order — Straw, Kwan, Ramírez and Miller — tote a combined .399 on-base percentage.

Reyes was detailing his perspective of his home run on Saturday when the conversation shifted to those ahead of him in the lineup and how frequently they have reached base. As Reyes spoke, Straw, a few lockers down, stuck out his head from behind a pillar in the clubhouse so Reyes could see he was standing there, listening, ready to soak up his praise.

“It’s fun, just seeing the way they get on base,” Reyes said. “The way they score really quick, (starting with) the first inning. That’s a very good challenge for the other team. There are a lot of teams out there that panic right away when we do that. I’m very happy for that. They’re doing a very good job.”

Reyes leaned forward to make eye contact with Straw, who seemed content with the compliment.

“OK?” Reyes said, smiling at his teammate.