The Cleveland Guardians have a power problem, and the timing makes it even trickier.
Through Thursday morning, their offense sat 29th in the Majors with 124 home runs, a number that leaves little mystery about where the club could use a boost. If Cleveland wants more thump for the postseason, one of its best young bats is suddenly part of the conversation.
That bat belongs to first baseman Ralphy Velazquez, the Guardians’ No. 2 prospect on MLB Pipeline. He has been on a tear at Triple-A Columbus, launching 14 home runs in August alone. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter called him an obvious September call-up.
"Over 18 games at the Triple-A level in August, Ralphy Velazquez is hitting .371/.438/.986 with 14 home runs and 27 RBI," Reuter wrote. "What more really needs to be said about his MLB readiness?"
On pure production, it’s hard to argue with that line. Velazquez could slide into first base and potentially take over for trade deadline pickup Nathaniel Lowe. Rhys Hoskins is on the injured list, and Kyle Manzardo is also at Triple-A.
But the Guardians’ decision is not that simple.
The Athletic’s Zack Meisel laid out the reasons Cleveland might hold off. "The Guardians have reasons not to promote him to the big leagues this year.
He’s only 21. His addition to the 40-man roster would prevent him from playing minor-league ball during a potential lockout," Meisel wrote Tuesday.
"He’d either have to play left field, where he has limited experience, or serve as the designated hitter, a spot [Jose] Ramírez, [Chase] DeLauter and [Jo] Adell have been sharing."
So while Velazquez is hammering Triple-A pitching, bringing him up now could come with long-term consequences. Cleveland has a real dilemma on its hands: add a much-needed power bat now, or protect the player’s development path and keep him in the minors a little longer.
In Other News...
Guardians No Longer Need The Kind Of Waiver Gamble Fans Remember
The waiver-wire dance that used to send fan bases into a panic is still around, but it does not carry quite the same sting it once did. With the Cincinnati Reds putting Eugenio Surez and TJ Friedl on waivers, the move serves as a reminder of how MLB clubs can still try to create flexibility late in the season, even if the most likely outcome is that both players stay put after the process runs its course.
For a team like the Guardians, who have seen enough roster churn over the years to know how these August moves can work, the important part is the motive behind it. This is less about a sudden on-field shakeup than a financial play by Cincinnati, which is trying to trim salary while navigating the back half of the schedule. In the old days, a waiver claim could bring real drama for a division rival. Now, the bigger question is whether the Reds are simply opening another roster door without intending to walk through it. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Deadline Gamble Is Changing This Lineup Fast
Jo Adell has wasted little time making his presence felt in Cleveland, giving the Guardians a much-needed jolt after arriving in the trade-deadline shuffle from the Angels. With 20 home runs and 80 RBIs on the season, Adell has carried his power bat into his new dugout and quickly become the kind of right-handed threat the Guardians were looking to add as they try to keep the lineup from feeling too one-dimensional.
The early returns have been strong enough to draw notice beyond the clubhouse, with national insider Jon Heyman pointing to Adell as one of the deadlines most successful pickups. Stephen Vogt and Steven Kwan have both praised the impact he has made, and the bigger question now is how Cleveland uses that production as the lineup keeps adjusting around him. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Bazzana Is Giving Guardians Fans A New Reason To Believe
Travis Bazzanas first season in the majors has already given Guardians fans plenty to latch onto. After making his debut in late April and bursting out to an All-Star level start, the rookie has since settled back closer to league average at the plate, but the bigger picture has stayed encouraging. He has remained part of a lineup that has found ways to win, and his recent uptick has come at the same time Cleveland has strung together a seven-game winning streak.
Bazzana has also had a hand in the tone of that run, delivering key plays while the Guardians keep leaning into their usual brand of resilience. The comebacks have been a reminder that this club does not need every inning to go smoothly to stay in the fight, and Bazzanas emergence has added another layer to that belief. For a fan base looking for reasons to trust the direction of the season, the rookie is becoming one of the more convincing ones. [Read more 🡒]