The youngest lineup in baseball still has plenty to figure out, both as the Guardians try to hold onto the last stitch of their playoff hopes while also looking to the offseason and the 2024 spring.
The free agent signings of Josh Bell and Mike Zunino never worked out. A lineup badly needing reinforcements was left behind enemy lines and lacking any air support.
Several hitters in the lineup have a couple more weeks in the regular season to set themselves up in a better position in the club's plans heading into the winter. Here's a breakdown of where every position player stands.
Bo Naylor's first extended stint in the majors began on a slower note, but since Aug. 19, a span of 20 games, Naylor has hit .333 with a .431 on-base percentage and 1.064 OPS, four home runs, six doubles, 10 RBIs and 10 walks.
Considering the Guardians have rolled out defense-first catchers for years, Naylor's skillset is a breath of fresh air . The club will continue to work on his game calling and run-game control, but he can give the lineup a much-needed boost.
Naylor's offensive focus will be to avoid the kind of sophomore slump that can accompany younger hitters.
Josh Naylor has enjoyed a breakout 2023 season that has only been disrupted by an oblique injury. Around that stint on the injured list, Naylor has hit .314 with an .862 OPS, 17 home runs, 28 doubles, 91 RBIs and nine stolen bases.
Jose Ramirez is always the most crucial hitter in the Guardians lineup. That won't change. But after entering the season in need of someone to protect him in the order — that was supposed to be in Josh Bell's job description — Naylor has taken over that role.
And while pointing out the benefits of Naylor protecting Ramirez, manager Terry Francona noted that Naylor has also reached the point that the Guardians could see protection for him as a needed focus moving forward as well.
All there is to show is that his offensive surge is sustainable.
Kyle Manzardo, acquired in the Aaron Civale deal, figures to make his major league debut in 2024 , potentially splitting the duties at first base and DH with Naylor.
Gimenez hasn't been able to replicate his 2022 season, when he was an All-Star and finished sixth in American League MVP voting. Overall, he's accounted for a .242 average with a .692 OPS, 13 home runs, 25 doubles, 54 RBIs and 28 stolen bases. But he's finishing the year on a higher note, hitting .308 with a .379 on-base percentage in September.
Gimenez could always be moved to shortstop at some point, but his Gold Glove level defense is certainly appreciated at second base, especially with the defensive shift ban by Major League Baseball that put even more emphasis on range on that side of the infield.
The Guardians lineup could certainly use a return by Gimenez to his MVP-ballot-level form.
The trade that sent Amed Rosario to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Noah Syndergaard, who has since been designated for assignment, opened the door at shortstop. Arias hasn't exactly grabbed hold of the spot, but he is being given first dibs with a chance to earn it.
The Guardians love his arm anywhere on the field, and he's been a bit more productive at the plate as of late, hitting .254 with a home run, seven doubles, five RBIs and two walks since Aug. 28.
The Guardians will have a few in-house options, including Arias, Tyler Freeman , top prospect Bryan Rocchio and Jose Tena.
Arias still has work to do to make enough of a case to earn the title. And while spring camp will be where much of this is sorted out, it often isn't as simple as seeing how performs best in February and March.
"I think when you go to spring training and you say you're going to use spring training to have somebody win a job, I think you set yourself up to make mistakes," Francona said. "Guys are going to be given maybe 40 or 60 at-bats and they're kind of disjointed and sometimes … they make a trip and the wind is blowing out, things get skewed."
Why is there even a section for Jose Ramirez ? He has nothing to prove. He's Jose Ramirez .
Chasing Cleveland history: Projecting when Jose Ramirez will pass 9 hitters ahead of him on Guardians' home run list
After taking over the club's leadoff spot as a rookie in 2022, Steven Kwan struggled to get going in 2023. But he has largely found that same success in the second half this season, hitting .290 with a .355 on-base percentage over his last 57 games.
He'll continue to hit in the leadoff spot and play quality defense in left field for the foreseeable future.
The Guardians only need him to continue to be one of the most difficult outs in baseball while he gets on base at a high clip ahead of Ramirez and Naylor.
Myles Straw might need to earn an everyday role in 2024. He provides speed on the bases and Gold Glove defense in center field, but his offensive production has fallen off a cliff, to the point that his best usage could come as a pinch-runner and pinch-defender of sorts off the bench.
Straw has hit .228 with a .577 OPS for the season, and those numbers are falling. He's hit .097 (3-for-31) over the last two weeks and .161 (9-for-56) over the last month. Straw has a long-term deal, but his role in Cleveland is far from cemented.
And while his defense is appreciated, his bat can only remain in the lineup for so long sans any production.
Will Brennan has had a severely hot and cold 2023 season. He's had two stretches of excellence: one that came after a ball he hit killed a bird , and one that he's in right now, as he's hitting .349 with a .770 OPS over his last 20 games.
Brennan might have to eventually fight off outfield prospect George Valera, as both are lefties. Brennan could also possibly move over and fit into the picture in center field.
But he's certainly in a group of youthful hitters on which the jury is still out.
The Guardians took a no-risk flier on Ramon Laureano , and it's one that might pay off. In his last 20 games, Laureano is hitting .288 with a .384 on-base percentage with three home runs, four doubles and 11 RBIs.
Laureano will be eligible for arbitration before the 2024 and 2025 seasons, and he has a chance to carve out a role in the Guardians outfield as a hitter who can smash left-handed pitching. It's an attractive attribute for a left-handed-heavy lineup that figures to only become even more one-sided with Manzardo and Valera, both lefties, knocking on the door as two of the club's top prospects.
This season, Laureano has a .609 OPS against righties but an .828 OPS against lefties. He's also a strong defensive option in right field with one of the best arms in baseball.
Tyler Freeman could push for the shortstop job at some point, but he hasn't yet shown the Guardians much to force their hand in the matter. In sporadic playing time, he's hitting just .240 with a .631 OPS.
Freeman's lack of consistency, combined with Rocchio needing everyday at-bats, has given Arias the leg up in that competition. Freeman is one of the club's many young middle infielders who will need to perform to earn more playing time.
The positive impact Kole Calhoun had on the Guardians could not have been envisioned when he joined Cleveland a few weeks ago.
Working their way back: Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie aiming to return to end year with a 'calm mind'
Calhoun is an accountable leader as a veteran, but while he hit a few home runs and lifted the lineup for a time, he's hitting just .188 over the last four weeks and has struggled a bit at first base defensively. At 35, Calhoun being in the clubhouse is a positive, but his fit with the lineup moving forward is difficult to envision.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians what hitters need to show to end 2023 season
