After acquiring Lane Thomas from the Washington Nationals a day before the deadline, the Cleveland Guardians finally have a legit second-hole hitter.
Their lineup looks more balanced, especially at the top.
The folks at MLB Network prepared a cool, funny analysis of the Guards’ victory against the Baltimore Orioles to open their weekend series on Thursday, and former player and manager Mark DeRosa prepared a segment for the Guards’ top four in the order.
“The Fantastic Four, we are going to call them,” he said.
The @CleGuardians took last night's series opener in a battle of AL powerhouses! ⚔️@markdero7 breaks down their convincing W over Baltimore and Cleveland's "Fantastic Four" at the top of the lineup. #MLBCentral pic.twitter.com/4drPWFx6Ol
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 2, 2024
He called Steven Kwan “Mr. Stretch”: “it doesn’t matter if he is facing a righty or a lefty, he is going to contort his body in a way that he will get the barrel on the ball, like Rod Carew used to do,” he explained.
“Against left-handed pitching, Lane Thomas is the human torch,” he continued.
He noted that he hit two doubles on Thursday plus his defense and ability to steal bases.
Jose Ramirez is “The Invisible Man. He is probably a top ten hitter. He might be top five, and nobody mentions him.”
Of course, he then hilariously compared Josh Naylor to “The Thing”, illustrating his intimidating nature.
“By the way, he rakes” he also said and he is 100 percent right.
The Fantastic Four is off to a terrific start, as the Guardians appear to be streaking again after a so-so stretch to end July.
The team boasts the best record in baseball and the nastiest and most consistent bullpen in the league.
If the starters can be decent and remain healthy, this squad has what it takes to go far in 2024.
NEXT: Guardians Earn Convincing Win Against Fellow AL Powerhouse
