The Cleveland Guardians continued to search for answers at the plate after their 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and manager Stephen Vogt did not shy away from addressing the issue.
Cleveland’s offense has been inconsistent through the first week of the season, and Tuesday night was another frustrating example. The team managed just one run and two hits, struggling to generate any contact against one of the league’s top pitchers.
Still, Vogt made it clear that they will get better.
“I thought we hit some balls hard, just nothing to show for them,” Vogt said. “Kind of in the air, to the big part of the field. But obviously, we faced a tough pitcher tonight. He was pretty good. And we’re going to continue to work and continue to get better.”
#Guardians Stephen Vogt on tonight’s hitting:
“I thought we hit some balls hard, just nothing to show for them. Kind of, you know, in the air, to the big part of the field. But, you know, obviously, faced a tough pitcher tonight. He was pretty good. And we’re gonna to continue…
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) April 1, 2026
Shohei Ohtani kept Cleveland off balance all night. Even when the Guardians made solid contact, they turned into outs.
Through the first six games of the season, Cleveland’s offensive issues have become a clear storyline.
Much of that struggle has centered around the middle of the lineup.
Jose Ramirez, Kyle Manzardo, and Bo Naylor have yet to find a consistent rhythm, combining to go 6-60 to start the year. When those key hitters are not producing, the entire offense will stall.
When your 3,4,5 hitters Ramirez, Manzardo and Naylor start the year 6-60 with 2 XBH and 4 RBI's hitting .100 in the first 6 games and you go (3-3) so far vs the Mariners and Dodgers, how?#GuardsBall
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) April 1, 2026
There have been some positives, however.
Steven Kwan is hitting nearly .300 to start the season, and Chase DeLauter is as red-hot as anyone in baseball.
But the lineup took a hit early in the game when DeLauter exited early after fouling a pitch off his foot.
Cleveland has already shown flashes of what it can be capable of, including a strong win earlier in the series against the Dodgers. The pitching staff has largely done its job, keeping games within reach.
Now, it is up to the offense to catch up.
If the middle of the lineup starts producing and players like DeLauter return to full health, this group could quickly look much different. But until that happens, offensive inconsistency will remain the biggest concern for the Guardians as they continue their road trip.
NEXT: Guardians Nearing Return Of Key Pitcher
