When the Guardians last played postseason baseball, Kyle Manzardo and Daniel Schneemann were right in the middle of it. Both showed up in all three games against the Detroit Tigers in last October’s American League Wild Card Series, the kind of usage that made them feel like part of Cleveland’s present and future at the same time.
That picture looks a lot different now.
Manzardo and Schneemann were both regulars in the Guardians’ lineup earlier this season, but each was optioned to Triple-A at the start of the month to clear room for the trade-deadline additions of Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe. With September call-ups arriving Monday and rosters expanding by two, the Guardians suddenly have a decision to make - and it may not be big enough for both players.
Usually, teams use those extra spots on one pitcher and one hitter. If Cleveland follows that pattern, there may only be room for one of the two former lineup fixtures, if either gets the call at all.
Manzardo’s move down was the more surprising one. He came into the year after a 27-homer season in 2025 and carried the profile of a former top prospect, but his production never fully matched the expectations.
He played 102 games before the demotion, hit 13 homers, and finished 7% worse than league average by OPS+. Since going to the minors, he has hit .281 with four home runs in 17 games.
Schneemann’s path was a little different. He spent 131 games with the Guardians last season while moving around the field, then did the same thing again this year and opened strong enough to turn some heads.
But after the end of April, his bat went cold, and he hit just .155 in 57 games before being sent down. In Triple-A, he’s responded with a .325/.455/.538 line, three home runs and 10 RBI in 22 games.
That leaves Cleveland with a tricky call.
Manzardo brings more power, but it would be a surprise to see him brought back while Nathaniel Lowe has handled the left-handed side of the first base platoon well. Schneemann, on the other hand, is easier to picture on the roster because he can move all over the diamond and doesn’t need everyday at-bats.
The Guardians do have other position-player options in the minors on their 40-man roster, including Cooper Ingle, Khalil Watson, Cooper Ingle and Blake Perkins, but none of them fit Cleveland’s current roster as well as Schneemann does.
However it plays out, Monday could bring more than a routine roster shuffle. For at least one of these two, it may be the start of the end of the road in Cleveland.
In Other News...
Guardians Legal Crisis Just Raised A Bigger Question For Emmanuel Clase
The legal path for Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz just got a little clearer, even if the broader picture is still anything but. A federal judge in Brooklyn denied the pitchers requests for separate trials in the case tied to an alleged pitch-rigging scheme, leaving the two Guardians players set to be tried together when proceedings begin Nov. 2. Both men have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, and the case now moves forward with the same core allegations in front of one jury.
Clase also picked up a separate victory when the judge rejected the governments bid to disqualify his counsel, preserving his current legal team for the next stage. For Cleveland, the ruling does not answer the larger question hanging over Clases future, but it does shape the road to a November trial that could have major implications for one of the clubs most recognizable pitchers. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Bazzana May Be Changing One Guardians Concern For Good
Travis Bazzanas defense has been one of the quieter storylines around the Guardians since his promotion to the majors, and it remains an area the club has been watching closely. Even with his overall defensive metrics for the 2026 season still sitting below average, there are signs he has started to turn a long-term concern into something more manageable, thanks to the work he has put in since arriving and the steady progress that has followed.
Recent advanced numbers have pointed in a better direction, with Bazzana posting a positive fielding run value in the latter part of the season. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt has already noticed the difference, crediting Bazzanas effort and the confidence he is beginning to show on defense, which leaves the Guardians with a much more interesting question heading into the next stretch of his development. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Linked To A Shocking International Signing Investigation
Major League Baseballs suspension of Dominican prospect David Severino has put an uncomfortable spotlight on one of the Guardians international signings, with the league alleging he falsified his identity by using a fake name, birth certificate and death certificate in an effort to appear younger. Severino reportedly had agreed to a deal with Cleveland, but the suspension means he cannot be officially signed while the league sorts out the matter.
For the Guardians, the issue is less about a punishment handed down to the club than the uncertainty hanging over a player they were linked to in the market. Cleveland has not been disciplined and has not commented on the situation, leaving the focus on how the league handles a case that touches both the international signing process and the age a prospect presented as part of that process. [Read more 🡒]