Spring Training results aren’t typically strong indicators of how a player is going to perform once the regular season begins, as everybody has something they are working on and is at various stages of knocking off rust. That being said, you’d definitely prefer to see your hitters tearing the cover off the ball as opposed to racking up strikeouts.
One hitter who had a few fans concerned was Kyle Manzardo, who got off to a slow start this spring after a breakout campaign in 2025. Luckily, he hit a grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers a few days back to calm everyone’s nerves a little bit.
In a recent article for Cleveland.com, Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast discussed Manzardo and his slow start.
Paul Hoynes suggested that Manzardo spent a lot of time hitting the weights over the offseason and is likely still adjusting, but there is nothing to be worried about.
“[Kyle Manzardo’s] been pressing a little bit. Just a slow start to the spring, you know. He spent a lot of time in the weight room over the winter. I wonder if that maybe had affected his swing a little bit or he had to adjust to his new body,” Hoynes said.
Adding Rhys Hoskins into the mix this offseason adds an interesting wrinkle into the first base/designated hitter mix, but he ideally fits in as a nice complement to Manzardo as opposed to somebody who might take his job altogether. Hoskins provides some much-needed power from the right side, but Manzardo was arguably the only reliable hitter on the team last year outside of Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan.
Manzardo walloped 27 homers last season and posted a .768 OPS, and at just 25 years old, he is just getting started. There is no reason for concern at all just yet, especially after hitting a grand slam.
With so much uncertainty in this lineup, Manzardo is one of the only constants. It’s going to be exciting to see if he can take his game up another level after an impressive first full season in the bigs.
NEXT: Angel Martinez Makes Honest Admission About 2025
