Angel Martinez may be on the verge of his breakout MLB season, if he isn’t there already. The young outfielder fought for his job in spring training and has carried over that determination to a great opening month for the Cleveland Guardians.
His latest standout performance came against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. He homered twice, including a two-run shot off future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer that ended a very impressive 11-pitch at-bat.
After the 8-6 win, Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt admitted that what Martinez did there left him in awe.
“That 11-pitch homer might have been one of the best at-bats I’ve seen,” Vogt said. “Just to work the count, work the pitches. Foul off, fight for the next pitch and then get one you can handle.”
Angel Martínez just homered on a 3-2 pitch off Max Scherzer, on pitch No. 11 of his at-bat.
He has his first career multi-homer game, and both came from the left side of the plate he has continued to show improvement from this year. pic.twitter.com/gZVwzrxhiA
— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) April 25, 2026
In the first inning, Martinez hit a two-run homer on the fourth pitch he saw from Scherzer to give the Guardians a 5-0, first-inning lead. Later, in the third inning, he fouled off the first seven pitches, then worked it to a full count before hitting a home run that put Cleveland ahead 7-3 and knocked Scherzer out of the game.
So far this season, Martinez has five home runs and 14 RBIs in 24 games played. His surprising production has been a necessity for the Guardians, who have been struggling up and down the lineup.
Poor seasons from Bo Naylor and Kyle Manzardo in particular have left the Guardians’ offense lacking at times, which is why Martinez has been such a key player for them. After serving as their primary center fielder last season, the 24-year-old was in danger of being bumped out of a role with left fielder Steven Kwan moving to center.
However, fellow outfielder George Valera had to begin the season on the injured list, leaving a perhaps unexpected opportunity for Martinez, who has taken full advantage. His current .284 batting average and .870 OPS would be career highs by a significant margin, and he is on pace for a 25-homer season.
With Kwan also struggling at the plate, Martinez, who started Friday in center field and made an excellent defensive play, should continue to have plenty of chances to continue his fine campaign going forward.
NEXT: Insider Shuts Down Guardians Closer Controversy
