The Cleveland Guardians seem to have some magic in them this season. They entered Wednesday's game with the best record in baseball and although they fell short against the Baltimore Orioles in a 4-2 defeat there was still a special moment in the game.
22-year-old Jhonkensy Noel was promoted by the Guardians hours before Wednesday's game and inserted into the starting lineup for his MLB debut. Cleveland's No. 26 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, it’s uncertain how long Noel will be with the team, but he sure made a good first impression.
Noel became the fourth player in Cleveland's history to hit a home run in his first MLB at-bat. He launched a Grayson Rodriguez fastball into the Orioles dugout in center field in the top of the second inning to open the scoring and his account in Major League Baseball. It's a moment Noel will not soon forget.
“I was happy,” the 22-year-old said in Spanish, per Melanie Martinez-Lopez. “ … Makes me very grateful and proud of all of the work the team has done to get me here and the work I have put in as well.”
The Guardians seem high on Noel and why shouldn’t they be given his numbers with Triple-A Columbus this year. Noel has a .937 OPS with 35 extra-base hits (including 18 home runs) in 65 games. His last hit before being called up was a home run on June 23.
Noel's Triple-A teammates share moment
Professional baseball players don’t want to spend more time than they have to in the minor leagues. Doing so can create special bonds though and even a shorter stint with a team can bring lifelong friendships and memories.
Jhonkensy Noel might have found some of those connections during his year-plus with the Guardians' Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers.
Noel was initially promoted to Columbus at the end of the 2022 season, playing four games with the team. He then spent the entirety of 2023 with the Clippers before being invited to Cleveland's spring training. After playing in nine games with the Guardians, Noel was assigned to Columbus again.
Noel's Clippers teammates were tuned into his MLB debut as their game was in a rain delay. The moment Noel went yard was captured by several friends and former teammates as the clubhouse went nuts.
“I still haven’t seen [the videos], but I am very grateful,” Noel said. “Yes it’s a job, but with good teammates, things go well, and thanks to them for always supporting me.”
It was a wholesome moment that showed what sports are all about. How can you not be romantic about baseball?
Guardians flying under the radar
There was a good possibility you hesitated when you read that sentence in the opening paragraph about the Guardians having the best record in baseball. If you haven’t been locked in daily, it's hard to blame you, because why the heck is Cleveland this good?
Losing your ace pitcher to elbow surgery a week into the season usually isn’t a recipe for competing for the pennant. Yet without Shane Bieber, the Guardians enter their final series of June with a 51-27 record and an eight-game lead for first place in the AL Central.
Most of the headlines have gone to the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies as they emerge among the elite teams in the MLB. The Guardians deserve a bit of the spotlight though and could make some noise under first-year manager Stephen Vogt.
There are plenty of feel-good vibes coming from the Guardians. It has the making of being a fun summer in Cleveland.
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