Three Positives from Goodyear, Arizona

It’s Monday. We lost an hour of sleep yesterday. We could all use a pick-me-up. So here is just that - three things that should make you smile from Goodyear, Arizona this week.

Bo is Back

After battling back spasms for about a week, catcher Bo Naylor was back in the lineup on Wednesday. There were minimal updates about his condition while he was out which was worrisome for many fans. With the success he’s found in the minors and in Spring Training so far, it’s all but confirmed that he’ll be the team’s starting catcher come Opening Day. So this setback was a major cause for concern for both the team and fans.

So far this Spring, Naylor is hitting .222/.222/.222 across four games. Last year in Triple-A Columbus, he boasted a .253/.393/.498 line across 60 games. This kind of success at such a young age is a fantastic sign for this young team who has been lacking in the catching department in recent years. With Naylor back in the lineup, the team has gotten some of that much-needed “pop” back.

The Boys are Boppin’

Coming into Spring, Guardians fans were extremely excited to see how some of the younger hitters like Kyle Manzardo, Chase DeLauter, and Tyler Freeman would perform. So far, nobody has been disappointed. Manzardo, in eight games, is hitting .462/.563/.615. Yes, you read that correctly. While it’s no guarantee that he’ll make the Opening Day roster, it’s a huge sigh of relief to see him performing exactly how we had hoped he would.

As for Freeman, a .318/.400/.500 slash line has consistently kept him in the lineup and has helped him get plenty of reps in against Major League caliber players. With one home run and seven hits, he’s shown that the power is there. He’s also proven how patient he can be at the plate with only four strikeouts in 22 at bats. Keep an eye on these two down the stretch, it will surely be no time before we see them at Progressive Field.

History-Making Rotation

The Guardians have the chance to make history this regular season. If their final starting rotation ends up with Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, and Gavin Williams, the entire rotation will be drafted and developed within the Cleveland organization. While we’ve had plenty of great talent in our rotation in the past, some of them have come in the form of players we’ve received in trades, free agent signings, etc.

To have an entire rotation consisting of players who have been with Cleveland’s coaches and teammates at every step of their development is almost unheard of these days. This is all contingent on Williams, however, as he is currently out of the rotation with elbow discomfort. Hopefully it’s just the result of one awkward throw and won’t have him down for long.