It took them a while, but the Cleveland Guardians finally made the right decision about Kyle Manzardo.
He got off to a slow start, but to be fair, it’s not like manager Stephen Vogt put him in a real position to succeed.
He often trusted the aging and slumping Carlos Santana over Manzardo, and he rarely used him against left-handed pitchers.
Despite that, Manzardo put up some impressive numbers that may have gone unnoticed.
“Feels like Guardians Kyle Manzardo put up the quietest 27 home runs this year,” Mike Kurland wrote on X.
Feels like #Guardians Kyle Manzardo put up the quietest 27 home runs this year.
This came while platooning heavily and only starting 121 games (but played in 146 total)
Somehow he only managed 47 runs while batting top 4 in 108 of his 121 starts. Seems unlucky. pic.twitter.com/yffcYesA1r
— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) September 29, 2025
He did so in 142 appearances and peaked when it mattered most, with his timely hits often getting the Guardians out of trouble down the stretch.
He added power to his swing without giving up contact, which isn’t something many hitters can do.
Manzardo emerged as one of the most dependable players on the team, and while he will continue to share playing time at first base with C.J. Kayfus, he should play a big part in what the team wants to do going forward.
He will have to be more efficient against left-handed pitchers, but that will only happen if the manager trusts him enough to keep him in the lineup.
Manzardo is trending in the right direction, and hopefully, he will take things up a notch or two in the playoffs, continuing to prove that he needs to be an everyday player.
NEXT: Guardians Prove They Belong Despite Payroll
