The Cleveland Guardians knew that someone would have to step up this season.
Notably, they trusted Jhonkensy Noel to be one of those players.
So far, however, that hasn’t been the case.
The 23-year-old right fielder, who showed glimpses of great play and impressive power earlier in his career, has been an offensive liability for Stephen Vogt’s team.
And as much as the struggles have been more notorious this season, Guardians Prospective showed that they actually date back to last season.
In his last 68 games, Noel has gone 23 for 167 with 18 runs scored, four doubles, one triple, three home runs, 14 RBI, nine walks, 58 strikeouts, and a batting average of .138 with a .236 OBP.
Cleveland #Guardians OF Jhonkensy Noel over his last 68 games dating back to last season.
23-167 18R 4(2B) 1(3B) 3HR 14RBI 9BB 58SO
AVG .138
OBP .236— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 4, 2025
The Guardians need Noel’s power, but it’s been hard to justify having him out there for much longer.
While it’s not easy to get into a rhythm when you only get occasional at-bats, there’s no way to find him more at-bats if that’s only going to make the problem worse.
As much as Stephen Vogt likes him, and as young and talented as he is, the fact of the matter is that both parties might be better off demoting him to Triple-A for a month or two to help him get his confidence back.
He’s not making contact, and he’s striking out a lot, and that’s not doing anybody any favors.
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