The Cleveland Guardians are facing elimination.
They must take down the Detroit Tigers in the most crucial game of the season, which is why they can’t afford to leave anything to chance.
With that in mind, team analyst Grant Puskar believes they need to favor offense over defense on Thursday afternoon.
That’s why he took to X to wonder whether Stephen Vogt should roll with Daniel Schneemann over Gabriel Arias:
“Should the Guardians consider putting Gabriel Arias on the bench tomorrow and sliding Rocchio to short or playing Schneemann at shortstop?” Puskar posted on X.
Should the #Guardians consider putting Gabriel Arias on the bench tomorrow and sliding Rocchio to short or playing Schneemann at shortstop?
— Grant Puskar (@grant_puskar_) October 1, 2025
Of course, Schneemann has been a consistent hitter all year long, and his ability to play almost everywhere on the field makes him quite a valuable asset.
Then again, Arias is one of the best defensive players on the team, and after watching the Guardians commit several unforced errors in the first two games of the series, they might not want to take this type of chance.
Also, while Arias hasn’t always been the most prolific hitter in the game, he’s had plenty of big hits throughout the course of the season, especially in the clutch.
Schneemann is one of the ultimate utility men in the game, and having him on the bench gives Vogt a plethora of options to tweak things up, depending on what he needs.
The Guardians can’t afford to look past the Tigers, but that doesn’t mean they have to change everything they do for this game.
They have the better team, and after Wednesday’s big win, all pressure will be on A.J. Hinch’s team to take care of business on the road.
NEXT: Brayan Rocchio Had Historic Home Run On Wednesday
