Cleveland heads into the All-Star break with momentum and a roster that suddenly looks like it could get a lot stronger in a hurry.
The Guardians have won four straight and are sitting in a virtual tie for first place in the AL Central, but the buzz around this club isn’t just about the standings. The bigger story is what may be coming next: Steven Kwan finding his rhythm again, Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez moving closer to a return, and Kyle Manzardo showing signs of a possible turnaround.
Analyst Hayden Grove summed up the mood in one post: “Don’t look now, but Kwan coming back to form, Ramirez and Martinez coming back soon, Manzardo maybe on the upswing. Guards could be in for a nice second half. Would love to see them add at the deadline.”
Kwan’s recent stretch has been a welcome development after a first half that raised real questions about his bat. During Cleveland’s series win over Miami, he drove in runs and flashed the same Gold Glove caliber defense that has long been part of his value. For a team that has needed offense wherever it can find it, that kind of rebound matters.
Ramirez and Martinez are also trending toward a return. Both have been out with injuries - Ramirez with a hand issue and Martinez with a foot injury - and the front office is targeting late July or early August for their comeback. Getting them back would give Cleveland two of its most productive hitters from before the injuries and take some pressure off a lineup that has leaned hard on rookies and surprise contributors.
Manzardo adds another possible boost. He has shown flashes of the power that made him a valued prospect, even if he hasn’t yet put together a long sustained run at the plate this season. If that early improvement keeps building, Cleveland could have another middle-of-the-order option to help ease the load on Chase DeLauter and Brayan Rocchio, who have carried a lot of the offense in recent weeks.
And then there’s the deadline. Grove’s point about Cleveland potentially adding isn’t just wishful thinking. The Guardians are in the race, and they have the kind of young talent and payroll flexibility that could let them do more than just stand pat.
The first half showed Cleveland can survive adversity. If the names Grove highlighted keep moving in the right direction, the second half could be a much different story.
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