The conversation about Travis Bazzana’s arrival in Cleveland is no longer a matter of if. It is increasingly becoming a matter of when, and after Saturday’s loss in Toronto, that timeline may be accelerating faster than the Guardians anticipated.
Cleveland insider Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com addressed the situation directly.
“It’s still not known when Bazzana will replace Brito, but the clock is ticking loudly. Bazzana is hitting .297 (27 for 91) with 11 doubles, two triples, two homers, 10 RBI and a .956 OPS,” Hoynes wrote.
The clock is not just ticking. It is getting loud enough that the entire organization can hear it.
Bazzana’s numbers at Triple-A Columbus have been remarkable. Hitting .297 with 11 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 10 RBI, and a .956 OPS across 91 at-bats is the kind of production that eliminates any reasonable argument for keeping a player in the minor leagues. He has been one of the most dangerous hitters in the International League for the better part of a month, posting an 11-game on-base streak during which he hit .390 with a .519 OBP. The power is real. The plate discipline is real. The results are real.
Meanwhile, the player he would replace is struggling to hold his spot in more ways than one. Juan Brito, the 24-year-old switch-hitting infielder, was thrust into the Cleveland lineup on April 7th when Gabriel Arias went on the injured list. Through 47 at-bats this season, Brito is hitting .170 with a .505 OPS and an OPS+ of just 42, which means he has been 58 percent below the average hitter in baseball. Those offensive numbers alone would be concerning enough, but the defensive issues have compounded the problem significantly.
On Saturday in Toronto, Brito let a Daulton Varsho grounder skip past him in the sixth inning with the game tied, opening the door for a three-run rally that decided the game. It was the second critical defensive breakdown Brito has been involved in since joining the roster.
The Guardians have been patient with Bazzana’s development, and rightly so. But there is a meaningful difference between patience and waiting too long, and the gap between those two things is closing fast.
The clock is ticking. Everyone can hear it.
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