The Cleveland Guardians recently activated star third baseman Jose Ramirez from the paternity list and optioned No. 2 overall prospect Kyle Manzardo to Triple-A, according to MLB.com. Cleveland had to make a move once Ramirez was ready to return, and it ended up being Manzardo who will return to Triple-A.
Manzardo, a 23-year-old first baseman, trails only outfielder Chase DeLauter in the Guardians' prospect rankings, per MLB.com. The left-handed slugger was acquired in the Aaron Civale trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023. Cleveland has needed offensive upgrades in recent seasons and Manzardo projected to be a reliable big league hitter.
His pure hit-tool and power both graded well among prospects. He is still developing other areas of his game, but the hitting ability is present. However, Manzardo struggled through his first taste of MLB action.
Kyle Manzardo optioned after difficult start to MLB career
Through 30 MLB games in 2024, Manzardo slashed just .207/.241/.329/.571 across 87 plate appearances. He failed to hit a home run during that span as well.
Guardians fans should not be too discouraged though. After all, many top prospects struggle through their first big league experiences. MLB's top prospect Jackson Holliday slashed a lackluster .059/.111/059/.170 across his first 10 games in 2024. The Baltimore Orioles demoted Holliday but still believe in his incredibly high-ceiling.
Manzardo will be fine. Being able to reset in Triple-A should help the young first baseman. The Guardians are confident that he will play an important role in their future. Perhaps Manzardo will even impact the ball club at some point once again in 2024.
Guardians playing well so far in 2024
Cleveland has upset expectations during the 2024 season. They did not have a lot of believers after failing to make any notable moves in free agency and missing the postseason in 2023. Additionally, losing ace Shane Bieber early in the '24 season to Tommy John surgery did not help those expectations from outside the organization.
Yet, the Guardians hold a 4.5-game lead in the American League Central as of this story's writing. Cleveland's 44-26 record is the third best mark in the entire American League as well.
The Guardians have received offensive contributions from unsung heroes in the lineup. Of course, Jose Ramirez continues to play at an MVP level. Meanwhile, Steven Kwan is quietly leading the AL in hitting with an eye-popping .392 batting average. In fact, Kwan's .392/.450/.536/.986 slash line would give him serious MVP consideration if the season ended today.
Josh Naylor and David Fry have enjoyed a strong season as well.
Cleveland's bullpen has also held up its end of the bargain. Emmanuel Clase has been dominant in the 9th inning and is probably the best closer in the sport. The Guardians starting rotation has endured its share of ups and downs, but overall the team's pitching has performed well enough to help them win games.
And again, it would not be surprising to see Kyle Manzardo re-join the big league club at some point during the 2024 season. He could provide a pivotal boost down the stretch.
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