Earlier this week, the Cleveland Guardians called up Jhonkensy Noel after a stint in Triple-A to replace first baseman Kyle Manzardo.
The young slugger had been placed on the Family Medical Emergency list.
It was a brief chance for Noel to remind people that his right-handed bat still carries potential.
That opportunity, however, has ended, as the Guards reinstated Manzardo from the list and sent the struggling Noel back to Columbus.
The team announced the transaction on Thursday afternoon.
We’ve got a move.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/kIidsT29FX
— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) July 10, 2025
Noel didn’t get too many plate appearances from manager Stephen Vogt, and couldn’t make much of an impact with the ones he got.
He played three games, but took at-bats in just one.
On Monday, he entered as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement.
Noel went 0-for-4 on Tuesday, with a strikeout, and on Wednesday’s finale against Houston, he entered as a defensive replacement in right field.
For the season as a whole, he has a horrible 0 wRC+, one of the worst offensive performances in the league among players with at least 100 plate appearances.
Manzardo, on the other hand, has been a nice offensive player for Cleveland.
He has cooled off somewhat after a brilliant start, but has been, overall, a league-average hitter as his 99 wRC+ indicates.
He boasts a disappointing .217 batting average, but he has shown solid power with 11 doubles, two triples, and 13 home runs.
He will try to find some consistency and regain the form that made him a top hitting prospect in the last few years.
His potential remains considerable, even though he hasn’t been able to fully showcase it.
NEXT: Guardians Warned Against Trading All-Star Outfielder
