The Cleveland Guardians have been one of the most disappointing teams in the league this season.
That’s been particularly true since June, and they rank in the bottom third of most offensive categories.
To add insult to injury, Bo Naylor hasn’t looked the part.
Naylor has struggled mightily on defense, which is an issue that dates back to last season.
He was a liability again in Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions, which extended the team’s losing streak to 10 games.
The Tigers scored a game-tying run on a wild pitch that slipped right through his legs.
Naylor’s defensive miscues have been a talking point way too often.
That’s why Paul Hoynes believes the Guardians might have a legitimate problem there:
“John McNamara, one of my favorite former Indians managers, he was a former catcher. He said, when you notice a catcher, that’s usually a bad thing,” Hoynes recalled. “The only time you really notice a catcher is when he’s running to the backstop to get a passed ball or a wild pitch. And we’ve seen that one too many times from Bo this season.”
Notably, Naylor’s woes date back to last season’s ALCS against the Yankees.
He was shaky and lacked confidence multiple times when Joey Cantillo was on the mound.
Naylor’s issues have put Stephen Vogt against the ropes.
He will now have to choose between sticking with his young player, who’s also a former first-round pick, or benching him in favor of Austin Hedges.
Hedges, while not much of a factor on offense, has always been an elite defensive player.
Unfortunately, sending him out there could hurt Naylor’s already damaged confidence.
He’s projected and supposed to be the team’s future at the backstop position, but unless he gets his act together, it will be very difficult for Vogt to keep trusting him as the team’s regular starter behind the plate.
NEXT: Carlos Baerga Calls For 1 Guardians Batter To Step Up
