Before the Cleveland Guardians offense exploded on Saturday, rookie slugger Jhonkensy Noel was virtually the only hitter consistently producing in recent games.
Josh Naylor, Steven Kwan, and even Jose Ramirez were struggling in the last couple of weeks (in some cases, in the last couple of months).
But ‘Big Christmas’, as Noel is often referred to, has really turned it on and earned more consistent playing time as a result.
Now, Noel is an integral part of the lineup.
Even on Saturday, when Kwan, Naylor, and Ramirez all broke out of their slumps with impressive performances, Noel managed to stand out by going 3-for-5 with a homer and a double.
The numbers say he has been carrying the Guardians offense.
It's Big Christmas season! 🎄#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/DZ6ZFvO0y6
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) August 25, 2024
As Bally Sports Cleveland tweeted, Noel entered Sunday’s game hitting .333 with five home runs and 10 RBI in his last 10 contests.
He managed to consistently produce even when his playing time was sporadic.
Now, he is an indispensable part of Cleveland’s lineup, and how can he not be?
When he makes contact, great things happen.
As the graphic states, his 11 home runs in his first 40 games made him the Guardian with the second-most round-trippers within that number of contests, behind Russel Branyan’s 12.
All those numbers don’t even include Sunday’s home run.
That’s right, the young thumper went yard again in the finale against the Texas Rangers and now has 12 home runs in his first 41 games… so far.
It appears Cleveland has found a middle-of-the-order producer capable of striking fear into the hearts of opposing hurlers.
Noel might have his flaws as a hitter, but he is the best and most consistent offensive weapon on the Guardians as we speak.
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