The Cleveland Guardians have played five games to this point, as of Tuesday morning. Minor league free agent Rhys Hoskins, who ended up making the team out of camp, started the first two.
He did well, occupying the sixth spot in the lineup and getting three hits and a walk in eight plate appearances in those two games. However, despite the great offensive showing, he hasn’t been in the lineup in any of the Guardians’ last three.
It’s definitely an odd turn of events. Cleveland’s offense is not exactly a living image of those mid-to-late 1990s teams, and they could use every home run threat they can get. Hoskins, with 186 career long balls, certainly qualifies.
His presence in the Guardians lineup appears to be tied to the development and load management of one of the most promising young hitters in the American League: Chase DeLauter.
The outfielder has played all five games to this point, but three of them have come from right field and the other two from the DH spot, including two of the last three.
Since manager Stephen Vogt appears to be considering Kyle Manzardo as an everyday player against right-handers, Hoskins has been the odd man out in the last three.
DeLauter, an injury-prone prospect rising through the minor league ranks, will probably play a whole lot of DH this year. That’s what it looks like from the outside. And if that’s the case, there will be plenty of bench days for Hoskins or, if there’s a lefty on the mound, Manzardo.
The Guardians, as an organization, have suggested that DeLauter shouldn’t play every day. He was drafted in 2022, yet his career-high in games played in the minor leagues was 57, back in 2023. That’s how often he has gotten hurt.
Since he is so valuable to the Guardians’ offense, the short-term solution they have found is to give him ‘half-days’ of rest by eliminating defense from the equation in some games. The bat, however, has always been there in the first week of play.
For now, Hoskins will need to be patient as Cleveland tries to preserve DeLauter’s long-term health while keeping his potent bat in the lineup as often as they can. He will play, because there will be lefties on the mound, and even against righties, he can provide power.
He just might not be an everyday guy.
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