When the Cleveland Guardians entered the 2026 campaign, they knew that they were going to play plenty of youngsters.
And heading into the heat of the summer, the major league roster has sported over a dozen fresh faces to get a taste of action at the highest level of the sport.
On Thursday, July 2, the Guardians are set to take on the division-leading Chicago White Sox to begin a four-game set from Progressive Field. Hoping to snag a quick win and kick off the series on the right note, manager Stephen Vogt is trotting out a young, energy-filled lineup to try and get the job done.
Coming in at a whopping average of 25 years old, Thursday's lineup has a freshly 23-year-old Kahlil Watson as the youngest, and a 28-year-old Steven Kwan as the oldest.
When asked about the lineup construction , Vogt shared that he didn't realize that the group was that young, but expressed that it is a testament to what the front office has built.
"You know, we are young, but so are they," he began. "These are two very young teams. It is fun to see our young guys getting opportunities. We talked about it this past offseason, our young hitters are going to get an opportunity. They are here, and I didn't know it was 25, but it is young."
Alongside Kwan and Watson, the rest of the lineup is spotlighted by Travis Bazzana, Chase DeLauter, Kyle Manzardo, Brayan Rocchio, Cooper Ingle, Gabriel Arias and Patrick Bailey.
With Kwan being the oldest out on the diamond tonight, the team will have to rely on him as one of the anchors. He has the most experience, but also has the ability to change the game in the blink of an eye with a remarkable defensive play or a gritty at-bat.
There is also a high likelihood that Rhys Hoskins, Austin Hedges and David Fry become available off the bench, bringing some of that veteran experience back to the lineup at any given moment.
For the many youngsters that head to the plate, staying patient will have to be a focus point. The bats have gotten jumpy from time to time, with Watson being a perfect example, but if they can stay composed they will have a chance to jump all over the White Sox.
"We gameplan for what is going on," Vogt said about how the team is approaching the weekend series as guys still look to get settled. "We look at historical, the last 30 days, the last 10 days. So, we know who is hot and who is not. These are really good hitters and really good pitchers. We have to be ready to go."
Watson still hasn't played in two weeks worth of games, while Ingle is suiting up for his fifth.
There are going to be growing pains, but the Guardians have pieced together a high-ceiling lineup, that, when flowing all together, can be dangerous.
The Guardians and White Sox's four-game series will run from Thursday through Sunday, July 5, in Cleveland.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/guardians/onsi as Guardians Flash Young Lineup For Series Opener Against Division-Leading White Sox .
