The Cleveland Guardians won Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday, blanking the Detroit Tigers 7-0 behind a dominant all-around display.
That game didn’t come without a cost, though.
It wasn’t in the contest itself, but rather in a sim game that helped the Guards prepare for the Tigers, but Cleveland is losing a valuable utilityman due to an injury.
“Angel Martínez is replacing Tyler Freeman on the Guardians’ ALDS roster. Freeman has a strained left oblique,” Guardians insider Zack Meisel posted on X.
Angel Martínez is replacing Tyler Freeman on the Guardians' ALDS roster. Freeman has a strained left oblique.
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) October 7, 2024
Freeman opened the season as the Guardians starter in center field, but couldn’t retain his job due to lack of production.
His versatility with the glove is valuable, though, which makes this a sensible loss.
He is capable of playing the outfield and most infield positions.
It isn’t clear how long he will be back, but oblique injuries can be tricky and his chances don’t look particularly good.
Freeman hit .209/.305/.321 with seven home runs and 11 stolen bases in the regular season.
To replace him on the roster, Cleveland is choosing Martinez, who offers a similar floor than Freeman and much more upside at the plate.
Martinez posted a .636 OPS in the regular season but was much better in the minor leagues and had a phenomenal stretch in the bigs.
He knows the strike zone and offers competitive at-bats.
Martinez will have a chance to run away with a roster spot for the rest of the postseason if he performs well in the limited opportunities he might have as a reserve player.
NEXT: Guardians Offense Set To Face Its Toughest Test Yet
