The Cleveland Guardians will be without their best player, Jose Ramirez, for a long period after fracturing his left hamate bone in his wrist in Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. It’s a tough break for the veteran, who was starting to turn things around after a relatively slow start.
If the Guardians want to remain in command of the AL Central, someone will need to step up and produce with any semblance of consistency. It will probably take a collective effort, but these two hitters will need to take it up a notch:
Angel Martinez
It might be unfair to put Martinez on this list after he also had to depart Saturday’s game with an injury himself, but he might be the closest thing to Ramirez when talking strictly about playing style. Hungry, versatile, and with power and speed, the utilityman has taken a step forward in 2026, and it shows in his numbers.
He is slashing a solid .239/.276/.442 with 11 home runs and nine stolen bases so far, with a 97 wRC+ that isn’t so far from Ramirez’s 110 mark. He needs to be more willing to walk, though.
Getting on base more often is probably the most glaring weakness in Martinez’s game. If he can somehow improve his 2.9 percent walk rate, he could take another leap and enter stardom.
For now, however, he is still expected to provide some thump and athleticism on the field and on the bases, much like Ramirez usually does.
Martinez fouled a ball off his foot on Saturday and had to leave the game, but should be back in the next day or two.
Travis Bazzana
Speaking of getting on base, the Guardians really need Bazzana to recapture his best form. After a scintillating start to his MLB career in late April and May, the rookie second baseman has been scuffling a bit lately.
His 111 wRC+ is still solid, but it has been on a downward turn for a few weeks now. In 48 plate appearances in June, the former No. 1 draft pick is slashing a putrid .143/.229/.286 with a well below-average 43 wRC+.
The best version of Bazzana can take over games and give his team an edge in several areas, including contact hitting, power, patience, and even speed, as his 11 stolen bases attest. The Guardians badly need him to return to that version, especially now that they will be without Ramirez for multiple weeks.
NEXT: Guardians Series Finale With Detroit Won't Be Played Today
