The Cleveland Guardians have been the best team in the AL Central and one of the best in MLB so far.
They have managed to get to this point without major offensive contributions from catcher Bo Naylor, who has struggled to the tune of a .207/.276/.350 line and a .625 OPS in 203 at-bats.
If you watched him play in the minor leagues and last year in MLB (he posted a .809 OPS in 198 at-bats), you know he is capable of much more than that.
When a team has a talented player, it’s important to exercise patience when things aren’t going right.
That could be the difference between developing a star or limiting someone’s upside.
The Guardians have been patient with the younger Naylor, and it’s starting to pay off.
Bally Sports Cleveland posted a graphic showing his numbers in the last 19 games.
Shout out to Bo 👍#ForTheLand | @CleGuardians pic.twitter.com/UuxQLbqDTY
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) July 11, 2024
Naylor homered in Thursday’s losing effort against the Detroit Tigers, his third long ball in the last 19 games.
Over that span, he is also hitting a cool .302 and boasts five doubles.
Perhaps the most impressive development in those last 19 contests is the fact Naylor has 12 RBI.
He has been a consistent offensive producer and might be starting to turn around his season.
Judging by his overall numbers, he still has a way to go, but it’s nice to see him swinging the bat well.
The Guardians lineup could really use a consistently great producer, and Naylor has that potential to join Jose Ramirez, David Fry, Steven Kwan, Andres Gimenez and the group of rookies.
NEXT: Analyst Has A Message For Guardians Fans Before All-Star Break
