Before entering spring training, everybody knew that the Cleveland Guardians were going to hold an open competition for the second base gig.
That was Andres Giménez’s spot from 2022 to 2024, but he was traded over the winter, setting the scene for the beginning of a new era.
Five names were considered the most likely candidates to win the job: Juan Brito, Gabriel Arias, Daniel Schneemann, Angel Martinez, and Tyler Freeman.
On Friday, the Guards sent Brito and Martinez down to Triple-A.
Now, the race is down to three.
According to Jeff Schudel of The Morning Journal, manager Steven Vogt is not particularly close to making a decision.
In fact, he plans to take full advantage of the remaining days of the Cactus League calendar to really evaluate all his options.
As he should.
“We still haven’t finalized everything,” Vogt said on Zoom. “We don’t know what it’s going to end up looking like, but the combination of Tyler Freeman, Gabby Arias, Daniel Schneeman, those three guys are going to continue to get reps at second base.”
All of them are enjoying nice camps.
Before taking the field on Saturday, Schneemann had a .810 OPS, Freeman was at 1.080, and Arias at .785.
No one knows who will be the chosen one, but all three are deserving candidates.
In addition to that, all of them have several things in common.
For example, all of them can play multiple positions, and all of them have received extended opportunities in the past and haven’t been able to secure a long-term spot among the regulars.
They all have a chip on their shoulder and something to prove.
There is a chance that two or even all three players break camp with the team depending on how Vogt builds the roster.
With all three enjoying productive springs, this race is going down to the wire.
NEXT: Guardians Announce Contract Extension With Young Pitcher
