Travis Bazzana’s rookie season has come with the kind of bumps that can make a fan base flinch, but Matt Fontana doesn’t sound interested in turning a rough week into a bigger crisis.
The Guardians second baseman has been under the microscope after a pair of defensive mistakes against Toronto, including a miscommunication with fellow rookie Angel Genao that led to a blown play and another error earlier in the series that opened the door for extra runs. In a stretch where Cleveland can’t afford many slipups, those moments landed loudly. Fontana of BIGPLAY Cleveland, though, pushed back hard on the idea that Bazzana’s early stumbles should change how people view him.
“There’s no substitute for live pitching. Go put a guy in second base with two outs and try to get that run in.
It’s just situational hitting. For these guys to then start, I think, even more building a book on pitchers.
We talk about young pitchers so much. They come up, have great success in the first month.
Wait ’til they get a book on you,” Fontana said.
Fontana’s point was bigger than one bad sequence or even one bad series. He argued that the only way a young player learns those game-speed decisions is by living them, especially in moments that can’t be duplicated in batting practice or in the minors. A runner on second, two outs, and the need to bring him home - that’s the sort of pressure test he believes only real innings can teach.
He also tied Bazzana’s struggles to a wider pattern around the league. As the season moves along, opposing pitchers start to collect more information on young hitters, and that early success a rookie can enjoy tends to shrink once the scouting reports get thicker. In Fontana’s view, that’s part of the natural learning curve, not a warning sign.
Bazzana has stayed in Cleveland’s lineup and infield through the second half, and he appeared in his 95th game at second base this season after being called up from Triple-A Columbus in April. The Guardians have kept running him out there despite the mistakes, which matches the patience Fontana is asking fans to show.
With Cleveland still in the mix in both the American League Central and the Wild Card race, every error gets magnified. But Fontana’s message was clear: the same inexperience that produces a few costly plays is also part of the reason Bazzana matters, and the payoff could come later if the Guardians stick with him now.
In Other News...
Guardians Are Finally Turning Back To A Rookie Arm For Relief Help
The Guardians kept busy with their pitching staff before the second game of Saturdays doubleheader against the Tigers, recalling rookie reliever Daniel Espino to the major league roster. To make room, Cleveland optioned Logan Allen back to Triple-A, another sign that the club is still trying to sort out the back end of the staff while juggling immediate bullpen needs.
Cleveland also continued reshaping the relief picture around Espino, adding Austin Peterson to the bullpen, activating Slade Cecconi from the injured list and designating Carlos Hernandez for assignment. The moves point to a roster that is still very much in motion, with the Guardians looking for any combination that can give them steadier innings as the schedule keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Face A Bullpen Question Before A Crucial Doubleheader
Carlos Hernndez gave the Guardians a brief look in the bullpen with two relief appearances, and while he flashed swing-and-miss stuff by striking out multiple batters each time, he also allowed a run in both outings. Even so, Cleveland opted to move him off the 40-man roster to create room for pitching prospect Austin Peterson ahead of a doubleheader, a sign the club is still sorting through how it wants to piece together innings in the short term.
The decision leaves Hernndez in a familiar and uncertain spot, with no guarantee he makes it through waivers and stays in the organization. For a team heading into a crucial doubleheader, it is the kind of roster shuffle that can look routine on paper but still says plenty about how quickly bullpen depth can change, especially when the Guardians are trying to balance immediate needs with a look at a young arm. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Rotation Shuffle Gets More Complicated After Logan Allen Struggles
Logan Allens latest turn in the rotation turned into a tough afternoon for the Guardians, as the left-hander was tagged for five runs in 2 1/3 innings in the opening game of a doubleheader. Cleveland then moved quickly, optioning Allen to Triple-A Columbus and bringing back right-hander Daniel Espino to take his place, another sign that the club is still trying to sort out the back end of its pitching plans as the schedule keeps pressing forward.
The timing matters because the Guardians still found a way to win that game, with Brayan Rocchio delivering the kind of dramatic all-around impact that can change the tone of a day. He tied the contest with a grand slam and then ended it with a walk-off home run, giving Cleveland a needed lift while the rotation picture around him got a little more complicated. [Read more 🡒]