The Cleveland Guardians entered this season with high expectations.
They were fresh off a deep playoff run, and while some people claimed they overachieved last season, there was no reason to believe they wouldn’t be as good this time around.
Of course, losing a slugger of Josh Naylor’s caliber was a worrisome issue, and the fact that they traded him for a shallow return was even worse.
Yet, all in all, they looked like a legitimate contender.
That’s why Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report has been so disappointed in the Guardians this season, giving them a B-minus grade at the halfway point.
“The Guardians did make the ALCS last year, but they’re hovering around .500 right now and feel like they’re overachieving. Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan are a great one-two punch, but their lineup is thin outside of those two, especially since Carlos Santana looked every bit of 39 in June. The bullpen quartet of Emmanuel Clase, Jakob Junis, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin have also been much more mortal than they were last season,” Kelly wrote.
That grade might even be a little generous, all things considered.
Cleveland went 9-16 in June and posted the fourth-worst hitting month in franchise history (.206).
The Guardians’ offensive struggles have been as predictable as unfixable, and while Kwan has been great this season, even he has regressed after a red-hot start.
Despite that, the team remains in the AL Wild Card picture.
Unfortunately, that might not be enough to convince the front office to take action and make the moves the team needs to get back on track.
Instead, it will most likely look to part with some of their veterans, and even a fan favorite like Emmanuel Clase could be on his way out.
NEXT: Guardians Manager Gives Encouraging Update About Brayan Rocchio
