Brayan Rocchio was supposed to be the Cleveland Guardians’ shortstop in 2024.
He had a promising winter and spring training, and positioned himself to gain a hold of the position and run away with the job.
Unfortunately for Cleveland, that hasn’t happened, as he is slashing a poor .203/.308/.259 with no power.
Their plan B for the position, Gabriel Arias, hasn’t been much better with the bat, boasting a .209/.246 /313 line with a .559 OPS.
As a result, the Guardians have been a juggernaut but the production they have gotten from their shortstop is mediocre at best.
If the team manages to add a solid, starting-caliber shortstop with upside at the deadline, their ceiling would be much, much higher than it already is.
We are still a couple of months from the trade deadline, but rumors are starting to appear.
MLB insider Jeff Passan discussed one regarding the Guards and a top shortstop: Bo Bichette.
“@JeffPassan mentioned the Guardians as ‘Likely Adders’ at the MLB trade deadline and links them to Bluejays shortstop Bo Bichette. ‘If Bichette is on the market, there might be no better fit at the deadline,'” ESPN Cleveland tweeted.
.@JeffPassan mentioned the Guardians as "Likely Adders" at the MLB trade deadline and links them to Bluejays shortstop Bo Bichette.
"If Bichette is on the market, there might be no better fit at the deadline." pic.twitter.com/trhDxQjtap
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 4, 2024
The key words here are “if Bichette is on the market.”
That’s certainly not a given: they have been contenders for a few years now and despite their current 28-31 record, they have the resources to invest and revert the situation.
However, there is also a case to be made that they would be better off selling and retooling.
If they go that route, Cleveland would certainly send an offer for Bichette.
The 26-year-old is a two-time All-Star in the prime of his career.
His 2024 has been very disappointing, though, as he has a .236/.284/.345 line with a .629 OPS and four homers.
However, he has hit over .290 with an OPS of at least .800 in each and every season of his career before 2024.
He is still a star, and could very much improve Cleveland’s roster.
NEXT: Guardians Analyst Highlights Crucial Upcoming Series
