Cleveland Guardians rookie Khalil Watson is hitting the first real wall of his big league life.
After a fast start, Watson’s bat has gone quiet, and the slump deepened again Friday when he went 0-for-3 against the Miami Marlins. Over his last 33 at-bats, he has only four hits, and he is now stuck in an 0-for-14 stretch.
That’s a sharp turn from the early buzz he created after his June 18 promotion from Triple-A Columbus, a move Cleveland made while Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez were dealing with injuries in the outfield. Watson’s first taste of the majors was rough - he opened 0-for-12 before finally getting a hit - but he quickly found his footing.
He put together a seven-game hitting streak, launched his first major league home run on June 23, and then delivered his first walk-off hit in just his 15th game, lining a 10th-inning RBI single to beat the Chicago White Sox on July 3.
Since that hitting streak ended, though, the production has fallen off hard. Terry Pluto summed up the situation this way: “Kahlil Watson is in a slump.
He is 4-for-30 with 13 strikeouts. Since being promoted from Class AAA Columbus, he’s batting .206 (.533 OPS).
He has fanned 26 times in 68 at-bats with only three walks. He’s only 23.
He is a gifted athlete, a good outfielder. There are reasons to like his long-range potential.
I can see him play center field, where the former shortstop looks very comfortable. But at the plate, it’s a struggle now,” Terry Pluto wrote.
DeLauter is back from the injured list and is in one of his hottest stretches of the season, while Martinez could return sometime after the upcoming All-Star break after beginning batting practice again.
With two games left before the break, Watson is running short on time to strengthen his case to remain on the Guardians’ roster. For now, the numbers say he may be better served by more time in the minors, where Cleveland can keep building on the promise he flashed early.
He has already shown he can handle the moment. The next step is proving he can do it day after day.
In Other News...
Guardians Just Made The Outfield Pick Fans Have Been Waiting For
After opening the MLB Draft with pitchers Liam Peterson and Logan Schmidt, the Guardians finally turned to the outfield in the third round with Houstons Tre Broussard. Cleveland used the No. 95 pick on a player whose appeal is pretty easy to see: he brings speed, contact skills and the kind of profile that fits the organizations preference for athletic, versatile position players.
Broussards track record at Houston gives the pick some real intrigue, especially after he was successful on 56 of 64 stolen-base attempts over the past two years and hit .344 last season. The Guardians still have to get all of their draft picks signed, but if Broussard develops the way they hope, he could become part of the long-term outfield picture in a system that is always looking for the next reliable bat. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Pitching Depth Just Took Another Hit Fans Feared
The Guardians pitching pipeline has already been thinned by a run of recent moves, and Khal Stephens latest setback only adds to the pressure on a staff that has been asked to absorb plenty of turnover. Cleveland has seen depth pieces and rotation help move in and out through trades, leaving the organization with less margin for error than it would like as it tries to keep innings covered over the long haul.
Stephen is now expected to be sidelined for 10-12 months after a right ulnar collateral ligament repair, a development that removes another arm from the equation at a time when the club can least afford it. If the Guardians need to patch together a spot start or two, names such as Logan Allen, Austin Peterson and Yorman Gmez could come into play, but the bigger concern is how quickly the depth chart can absorb yet another blow. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Just Made Another Draft Bet Fans Know All Too Well
The Guardians went back to a familiar draft lane on Sunday, taking University of Houston outfielder Tre Broussard in the third round with the 95th overall pick. It is the kind of selection Cleveland has long been willing to make: a player whose game is built on speed, defense and enough offensive feel to make you think there could be more coming as he develops.
Broussard brings center-field ability, contact skills and a base-stealing element that fits the organizations usual appetite for athleticism up the middle. MLB Pipeline had him 91st on its draft board, which gives the pick a little more credibility than a pure flier, but the real appeal is the same one Cleveland keeps chasing in this part of the draft - a young college player with tools, movement and room to grow into something more. [Read more 🡒]