The Cleveland Guardians lost 1-0 on Tuesday, leaving three men on base in the eighth inning and two in the ninth. In many ways, it was one of the ugliest defeats of their season.
However, it’s not all bad. Travis Bazzana made his long-awaited MLB debut, Tanner Bibee threw a solid game, and Kyle Manzardo continues to grow as a player, even if he hasn’t really gotten out of his offensive slump.
Universally seen as a defensive liability, Manzardo has taken a considerable step forward in 2026, and the numbers back that up. He is now a net positive in one of the most widely used stats to evaluate fielding performance.
“Kyle Manzardo entered today with +1 Outs Above Average at first base this season. He finished 2025 at -3. Sweet, sweet pick on a José Ramírez throw to end the third inning,” Guardians insider Tim Stebbins posted on X, with a video of the very solid fielding play.
Kyle Manzardo entered today with +1 Outs Above Average at first base this season. He finished 2025 at -3.
Sweet, sweet pick on a José Ramírez throw to end the third inning. pic.twitter.com/iIEKvcDHnb
— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) April 28, 2026
This kind of defensive growth is huge not just for Manzardo as an individual player, but also for the pitching staff and the Guardians infielders. They can now throw the ball to first with more confidence, knowing that the young and still-learning first baseman will make the play more often than not.
Last year, Manzardo played 459.2 innings at first base and had a disastrous -7 Defensive Runs Saved, or DRS, another fielding metric. This year, he has played 126.1 frames at the position, and while his DRS is still negative at -1, it looks much more decent.
The eye test also says that he looks much better than last year. Now, the challenge will be keeping up this level for the entire season, which isn’t easy.
Manzardo, however, hasn’t been able to get going at the plate yet. After hitting 27 home runs last year with a 113 wRC+, he has gone yard only once in 2026, with a mediocre 55 wRC+.
The Guardians continue to have faith in him, and he has the talent to turn his season around, but the team and fans want results. At least he is contributing as a defensive player, a new, refreshing development in the middle of his poor season at the plate.
NEXT: Guardians' Most Anticipated Day Ended In A Familiar Frustration
