Stephen Vogt’s lineup choices have become an easy target for frustrated Guardians fans, but one Cleveland insider isn’t buying the idea that the manager is suddenly losing the clubhouse with all the shuffling.
Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com pushed back on that concern, arguing that Vogt has been adjusting his batting orders since the start of his tenure in 2024 and that the constant changes are part of his approach, not some new panic move.
“I disagree. This is Vogt’s third year managing.
He’s constantly adjusted his lineups since his first day on the job in 2024. If the players are confused, they haven’t been paying attention,” Hoynes wrote.
The criticism has grown louder because Cleveland’s offense has been stuck in neutral all season. A five-game losing streak recently put the Guardians’ playoff position in jeopardy and only intensified the complaints about the way the lineup has been handled.
Still, it’s not hard to see why Vogt has kept mixing things up. The Guardians are last in the majors in base hits, runs scored, total bases, batting average and OPS, and they sit 27th in home runs.
Even with all of that, Cleveland remains very much alive in the race. The Guardians enter play on Saturday tied with the Minnesota Twins and three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
One of Vogt’s biggest changes came when he moved Steven Kwan out of the leadoff spot he had occupied for most of the previous four seasons. After some early adjustment, that move is starting to look like a good one, with Kwan catching fire after the All-Star break and batting over .400 in those 13 games.
Vogt has also had to navigate major injuries. Chase DeLauter, Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez all landed on the injured list in mid-June after going down in the same game, though all three are now back as Cleveland gets ready for another push.
Given that Vogt is the reigning two-time AL Manager of the Year, he’s earned some trust here. And if this version of his lineup tinkering eventually helps the Guardians get back to October, the noise around it will fade fast.
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