Cleveland Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo lost his roster spot when the team traded for Nathaniel Lowe. The newcomer has been playing really well and providing some instant offense from the first base spot, while Manzardo was struggling with a below-average 95 wRC+ at the time of his demotion to Triple-A Columbus.
It took a long while for Manzardo to get going this season, and he was wildly inconsistent from month to month. He got too big and became too pull-happy. That caused the Guardians to look for more reliable alternatives in the market.
Manzardo’s struggles and the decision to option him to the minors don’t mean he is no longer a part of the team’s long-term plans, though. On the contrary, he could still very well be the first baseman of the future.
To put himself back in the picture at some point, however, he needs to hit. And he’s been doing just that in Columbus, heating up in time for the stretch run.
“Cleveland Guardians (1B) Kyle Manzardo extended his hitting streak to 7 games today on an RBI base hit for Columbus in the 7th inning in the team’s win over St. Paul. During streak: 9-29, 7 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 BB. AVG .310, OBP .375,” Guardians Prospective posted.
Cleveland #Guardians (1B) Kyle Manzardo extended his hitting streak to 7 games today on an RBI base hit for Columbus in the 7th inning in the team's win over St. Paul.
During streak:
9-29 7R 3(2B) 2HR 10RBI 3BB
AVG .310
OBP .375#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/OHvElazKUh— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) August 23, 2026
That’s the Manzardo that the organization traded for back in 2023. That’s the Manzardo who became one of MLB’s top first base prospects around those years: an offensive machine capable of hitting for average and power.
In 2025, he didn’t hit for a particularly high average, finishing at .234, but he belted 27 home runs and posted an excellent 113 wRC+. The number fell to .215 this season in the majors, though, which played a part in his demotion.
In 14 Triple-A games since being sent down, Manzardo is slashing .264/.339/.547 with four round-trippers and a 121 wRC+. He is still striking out a lot, 27.4 percent of the time, to be precise, but he is swinging the bat better and slowly becoming another alternative for the organization at the cold corner.
If we remove the first few games of Manzardo’s campaign and count from April 8 until August 2, he boasts a solid 108 wRC+. He was also sporting a 116 wRC+ in the second half, so he wasn’t, and isn’t, a lost cause.
Don’t be surprised if Manzardo finds his way back to the squad at some point.
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