The Cleveland Guardians entered this season with high hopes for Jhonkensy Noel.
The 23-year-old right fielder had shown glimpses of strong play, and given the team’s big need for power, he looked like a potential breakout candidate.
Unfortunately, he has struggled mightily at the plate, and while he needs more at-bats to get past this slump, it’s getting difficult to trust him during this cold stretch.
With that in mind, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com admitted that he was surprised to see that he hasn’t been demoted to the minors.
Talking to Joe Noga on their Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, he dug deeper into Noel’s struggles:
“[Jhonkensy Noel’s] game is power and if you make a power hitter sit on the bench and play sporadically, these are the kind of results you’re going to get. I’m surprised he’s still on the big league roster. I thought for sure they would have sent him back to Columbus and let him play every day and get his swing in order,” Hoynes said.
The Guardians will face two lefties – Carlos Rodon and Max Fried – in their three-game series against the New York Yankees, and that represents a big opportunity for Noel to get back on his feet.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case in the first game, as he went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts before ultimately being replaced by Nolan Jones.
Noel hit .105 across 39 plate appearances in the month of May, and he only made six starts.
He’s expected to dominate against southpaws, and if he’s not doing that either, it’s hard to justify having him on the field at all.
Of course, just like Hoynes said, getting situational at-bats isn’t what the doctor ordered for struggling players trying to get their swings right.
The Guardians need as much help as they can get in the outfield, but given the way he’s played this season, he may be better off getting to Columbus to get his confidence back.
NEXT: Guardians Outfielder Is Flirting With Demotion To Triple-A
