Guardians’ First-Half Success Comes Down To One Player

The Cleveland Guardians weren’t exactly preseason darlings. Some people thought they would be the third or fourth-best squad in the AL Central.

In reality, they have dominated the division for most of the first half, until recently allowing the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins to enter the race. Still, regardless of how they finish off this weekend’s series, Cleveland has been competitive as we head to the All-Star festivities.

In a year in which their best player, Jose Ramirez, has been a tad inconsistent and is currently injured, other players have stepped up to help the Guardians keep up. Parker Messick has blossomed into an ace, Gavin Williams has developed even more strikeout power, Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana are proving that rookies can contribute, and Cade Smith leads MLB in saves and has been lights-out as usual.

Still, Cleveland wouldn’t be where it is without shortstop Brayan Rocchio. The 25-year-old infielder is, in our view, the Guardians’ MVP of the first half.

Rocchio’s breakout has allowed Cleveland to withstand Steven Kwan’s slump and Ramirez’s injury. The talented Venezuelan has played second base and shortstop, excelling at both. He has also been the ninth hitter and has produced in other lineup slots, too.

In other words, it doesn’t matter where you put Rocchio: he will come through and deliver.

Rocchio leads Guardians’ position players with 2.7 Wins Above Replacement, or fWAR, and is sporting a 110 wRC+ after Friday’s opener in Miami. He has hit seven home runs and stolen 15 bases, in addition to playing elite defense at shortstop.

Rocchio went from being a lousy hitter with a wRC+ in the seventies to a well-above-average offensive player with speed and an elite glove. Last year witnessed the first few steps forward after a stint in Triple-A from May through June. He has made even more strides in 2026, developing sneaky solid power and making more contact.

Rocchio, before Friday’s game, was tied for 12th in the American League with his 2.7 fWAR and was third among shortstops in the junior circuit, behind just Bobby Witt Jr. and Kevin McGonigle. He has reached elite status in the majors.

Messick sure deserves an honorable mention, and we wouldn’t even try to convince you if you thought he was the Guardians’ first-half MVP. We have simply chosen Rocchio because he makes an impact every single day.