The Cleveland Guardians are in a very good position to make the playoffs in the last week of the season despite a down year from their best player, Jose Ramirez. To allow that to happen, young players around the roster have had to pick up some of the slack. And that’s exactly what has happened to this point.
Chase DeLauter, for example, is one of the top rookie hitters in the entire majors. Travis Bazzana is an All-Star in his first season, and Parker Messick is a legit AL Cy Young candidate, not to mention one of the frontrunners for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.
He is not technically a rookie, but Angel Martinez has broken out after years of teasing us all with his potential. That has been a major factor behind the Guardians’ presence among contending teams.
The dynamic outfielder has had to deal with some injury issues, but has been healthy enough to make a huge impact both offensively and defensively. Before his three-hit performance on Tuesday, Martinez was hitting a cool .253/.289/.463 with 17 home runs, 11 stolen bases, and a 108 wRC+.
Martinez gives the Guardians three extremely valuable things. One is the ability to hit left-handed pitchers, against whom he has a 126 wRC+. Secondly, he can play the three outfield spots and do it adequately, and third, he has an exciting power-speed combo that keeps him relevant at the plate.
No, Martinez doesn’t really walk much, which affects his on-base percentage and somewhat limits his ceiling. That’s about his only weakness, though: he can put the wood on the ball, he has some power, he can run and steal bases, and he is a passable defensive player at multiple spots.
If you followed the Guardians in years past, you know that Martinez wasn’t always this good. In fact, he was quite infuriating at the plate at times, finishing with an 82 wRC+ as a rookie in 2024 and a 73 mark last year, with negative fWAR outputs in both campaigns. This year, he has been worth 1.8 Wins Above Replacement, a nice change of pace and a promising development for his future. After all, he is still just 24.
Some players enjoy success in the majors right out of the gate. Others take a year or two to develop. Martinez belongs to the second group, and that’s no shame: he is now an above-average player and an important contributor on a playoff-caliber team.
NEXT: Guardians Hold On To Beat Red Sox In Series Opener
