The Cleveland Guardians came into the 2025 season with high hopes after falling just three games short of a World Series berth last season, but a recent 10-game losing streak has killed nearly all the hope this fanbase had left.
The Guardians now have the fourth-worst record in the American League and are looking like sellers heading into the trade deadline, as one analyst recently revealed a glaring concern about this season that should come as a surprise to nobody.
Mike Axisa recently wrote an article for CBS Sports highlighting some trends around the league, and one major trend he pointed out was how the Guardians are failing Jose Ramirez.
“Even when they’ve been at their best over the last 10 years or so, the Guardians won with pitching more than offense. Their very best teams have only been a tick better than league average offensively in the last decade. This year’s offense, though, is appalling. Ramírez is propping up a lineup wholly undeserving of a postseason berth. Is any player more important to his team’s offense than this guy? The Guardians would have zero chance without him and, lately, they’ve had little chance with him,” Axisa wrote.
Winning with pitching is great, but it is getting frustrating for fans to watch this offense year in and year out fail to deliver the kind of thump needed to win consistently in today’s game.
It was clear after falling short in the ALCS last season that the team needed to bring in one or two more big bats in the offseason to get over the hump, and instead of doing so, the Guardians instead decided to trade Josh Naylor and Andres Gimenez, creating two more holes in a lineup that didn’t need them.
Ramirez has been indispensable for this offense, but he can only do so much, as he and Steven Kwan are the only ones pulling their own weight.
Carlos Santana has been solid, but he is also 39 years old and was brought in to soothe the loss of Naylor, so there is only so much that can be expected of him.
It’s disappointing seeing this season unfold this way, and hopefully, this front office can find some solutions to get Ramirez some more help sooner rather than later.
NEXT: Insider Names 'Ideal Fit' For Steven Kwan
