Much has been talked about the Cleveland Guardians offense.
Yes, the unit was not good last year, but it has managed to improve in 2024 even if there are still a few problem areas.
How can you tell it has improved?
Well, for starters, the 2024 Guards are seventh in MLB in runs scored as of Tuesday afternoon, with 325.
They were 27th out of 30 teams last year.
Another sign the 2024 hitters are better is the fact Cleveland has not one, or two, but three batters in MLB’s top 20 in OPS.
Only the Dodgers have as many hitters in the top 20, per MLB’s official Twitter account.
“Teams with three players in the top 20 of OPS (min. 120 AB): @Dodgers: Ohtani (.947), Betts (.914), Freeman (.879). @CleGuardians: Fry (1.090), Kwan (.955), Ramírez (.890),” they tweeted.
Teams with three players in the top 20 of OPS (min. 120 AB):@Dodgers: Ohtani (.947), Betts (.914), Freeman (.879)@CleGuardians: Fry (1.090), Kwan (.955), Ramírez (.890) pic.twitter.com/4Ux2kfozOQ
— MLB (@MLB) June 10, 2024
And that list doesn’t even include Josh Naylor, who started off the season red-hot and has cooled off some recently, seeing his OPS fall to a still decent .776.
The reality is that Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan, and David Fry have been carrying the Guardians offense as of late, and Naylor did it earlier in the year.
Kwan is the star table-setter with a .370 batting average, Ramirez is the elite, league-leading RBI man with 62, and Fry is the surprising breakout performer who elevated the offense’s ceiling all by himself.
With those three carrying most of the weight and, hopefully, with Naylor’s upcoming return to form, Cleveland has four elite offensive performers and others with upside such as Andres Gimenez, Kyle Manzardo, Bo Naylor, Will Brennan and more.
With other excellent talents on their way, such as Chase DeLauter, Johnathan Rodriguez, and Jhonkensy Noel, it’s fair to say this unit is now in the top half of the league.
NEXT: Top Guardians Prospect Had A Dominant Week In Triple-A
