Analyst Reveals How Guardians Can Unlock Their Lineup

The Cleveland Guardians’ lineup has not been working together as a unit 1-through-9 so far this season. A handful of players get hot while another group is slumping, and then those struggling players break out while those who had been carrying the team take a step back.

The good news is, thanks to an exceptional starting rotation, the Guardians are still near the top of the AL Central standings. The bad news is, their record just hovers around .500, which is a reflection of how the offense has been holding them back.

Analyst Cade Cracas recently revealed how the Guardians can unlock their lineup by being more consistent game to game.

“It comes down to that general consistency. That’s what they’re missing right now. You just need one of those games where everybody is getting on base,” Cracas said.

What is the biggest key to the Guardians unlocking the lineup? #GuardsBall

"It comes down to that general consistency."

– @CracasCade pic.twitter.com/szuAtUDhEQ

— The Daily Guards (@DailyGuards) April 16, 2026

At the start of the season, rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter provided a significant jolt to the batting order with a historic start that included four home runs in his first three games. After a win against the Chicago Cubs on April 3, DeLauter was batting .346 with an OPS of 1.293.

However, since then, his batting average has fallen by 100 points, and his OPS has dropped almost 400, leaving him at .246 and .895, respectively, after a win against the Baltimore Orioles. Another player who has fallen off recently has been outfielder Angel Martinez, who is 3-for-19 in his past five games, coming off a 10-for-17 stretch.

Meanwhile, two key players who were dreadful to open the campaign, Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo, have picked it up considerably over the past week. Ramirez has raised his average from .133 to .224 and has three home runs in his past six games, while Manzardo has eight hits during a six-game hitting streak that has boosted his average from .061 to a still-disappointing .189.

The lack of hitters producing together has the Guardians with just 79 runs scored over their first 20 games. If you take out two big performances against the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland has scored just 60 runs in the other 18 games.

Last season, the Guardians were able to overcome a ranking among the worst offenses in MLB to make the playoffs, but it would be difficult to count on that happening two years in a row.