BREAKING NEWS: Guardians option top prospect back to minors after disappointing MLB start
The first 30 games of Kyle Manzardo’s major league career were played. The first baseman and designated hitter for the Cleveland Guardians, José Ramírez, has been optioned back to Triple-A Columbus in order to create room on the roster for the All-Star third baseman, who has returned from a paternity list stint.
In those 30 games and 87 bat appearances, Manzardo, 23, was not at his best. Against just three walks, he batted.207/.241/.329 with 23 strikeouts and no home homers. It’s challenging to write off Manzardo’s struggles at the plate as the result of bad luck, because his underlying quality-of-contact statistics were also dismal. Nevertheless, the data sample is limited, and many bright batters are unsuccessful when facing the best pitchers in the world for the first time.
Manzardo, who was acquired from the Rays in exchange for Aaron Civale at least a year prior to the trade deadline, began the season ranked No. 45 in MLB by CBS Sports. This is an excerpt from R.J. Anderson’s February article.
“As a professional, Manzardo has only succeeded in hitting repeatedly by fusing a methodical technique with a feel for the barrel. He doesn’t have the strength or top-end exit velocities that are often correlated with first base. All the Guardians can hope for is that he keeps minding the zone and hitting for average, something he notably did not do in Triple-A. Early in 2024, he ought to have the chance to make his Cleveland debut.”
The former second-round pick out of Washington State batted.303/.375/.642 for Triple-A Columbus with nine home runs and ten doubles in 29 games prior to his May promotion. It is anticipated that Manzardo will return to Cleveland in the near future.
With an impressive OPS+ of 144 and 18 home runs in 66 games this season, Ramírez, the franchise’s face, is back. The first-place Guardians will face the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners at home for a three-game series starting on Tuesday.
