Back in spring training, there were some doubts about whether Brayan Rocchio was going to be able to hold on to his spot in the Cleveland Guardians’ starting lineup. Now, about to enter the final week of the season, the infielder is arguably the team’s MVP.
The Guardians decided to keep top prospect Travis Bazzana in the minors to begin the campaign, leaving Rocchio at second base. Then, when shortstop Gabriel Arias was injured, Rocchio was moved to replace him, and Bazzana was eventually promoted to make his major league debut.
It has worked out better than anyone could have hoped, with Rocchio having a career year at the plate. He has continued to produce when it matters most, which makes it all the more impressive.
Rocchio is red hot at the perfect time, with his latest performance in a win against the Athletics on Friday as the most recent example.
“Cleveland Guardians switch-hitting (SS) Brayan Rocchio reached base 3x tonight (2-3 R 2B 2RBI BB SB) driving in a pair of runs on his 23rd double of the season in the 4th inning vs the A’s. Last 14 games: 14-46 10R 4(2B) 3HR 15RBI 5BB 4SB. AVG .304; OBP .385,” Guardians Prospective posted.
Cleveland #Guardians switch-hitting (SS) Brayan Rocchio reached base 3x tonight (2-3 R 2B 2RBI BB SB) driving in a pair of runs on his 23rd double of the season in the 4th inning vs the A's.
Last 14 games:
14-46 10R 4(2B) 3HR 15RBI 5BB 4SB
AVG .304
OBP .385#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/WNAA9Rj2fY— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 19, 2026
In September, Rocchio had a historic game that included a grand slam followed by a walk-off home run against the Detroit Tigers. He had another walk-off hit in a comeback win against the Chicago White Sox, which kept the Guardians from falling 2.5 games behind the AL Central leaders.
Instead, Cleveland moved within one-half game, and with a victory against Chicago the next day, the Guardians regained sole possession of first place for the first time since July 3. They extended that lead to one game with eight to go, thanks to Rocchio’s latest heroics.
In his third full season, the 25-year-old has doubled his career total with 13 home runs. With more than half of his at-bats batting ninth, he has reached career highs with 136 hits, 23 doubles, 69 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases, and his current slash line of .250/.312/.379 would also be his bests across the board.
With Bazzana also having an excellent final month, it looks like the Guardians have landed on their double-play combination of the future, although there are plenty more big games to come in the present.
NEXT: Analyst Names Guardians' Unsung Hero This Season
