The Cleveland Guardians are set to begin their 2026 postseason experience against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday afternoon. This team received a bye in the first round because they won the AL Central, but will now have to battle their division rival to advance any further.
This team has been mainly carried by its pitching staff throughout most of the regular season. The expectation is that they’ll continue to lean on these pitchers in the ALDS. However, there are some unsung hitters who might be big-time players in their upcoming series.
Brian Murphy of MLB.com believes that Travis Bazzana could be someone to watch this postseason.
“Bazzana is much more of a hitter than a slugger, but in September, he nearly doubled his barrel rate (4.6% to 8.2% the league average this year is 7.7%), and he started pulling fly balls in the air at a dramatically higher clip (15.4% pulled airball rate through August; 26.2% in September). That’s a good way to tap into your raw power, and the 24-year-old infielder clearly did down the stretch,” Murphy wrote.
When you think about sluggers in Cleveland, Bazzana isn’t someone who probably comes to mind for most people. However, the rookie infielder has actually been doing a great job of lifting the ball lately. Fans shouldn’t be shocked if Bazzana makes some loud noise in the postseason.
This season, Bazzana slashed .245/.335/.408 with 15 home runs, 57 RBI, and 19 stolen bases. The rookie infielder earned his first All-Star appearance with his excellent play. Now, Bazzana will be asked to make a splash with the bat during the postseason.
Bazzana struggled with the bat when he first came up, but he made the right adjustments to his game. Now, Bazzana is playing some of his best ball as they head into postseason play. He has been pulling the ball in the air at a much higher rate, which should lead to more home runs. The Guardians are desperate for some reliable power hitters in their lineup.
Bazzana might be the dark horse for this offense during the upcoming ALDS.
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