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A 'Reset' Has Been Exactly What This Guardians Hitter Needed
Jul 18, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) celebrates after hitting a double during the third inning against the Athletics at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Coming into the 2025 season, the Cleveland Guardians were banking on Brayan Rocchio building off his impressive 2024 playoff performance and becoming a regular, above-average switch-hitter in their lineup.

However, Rocchio had a rough start to the season, to put it lightly, recording a slash line of .165/.235/.198 through his first 102 plate appearances.

The Guardians ultimately optioned the shortstop on May 12.

Some players may hang their heads after being sent to the minor leagues, but not Rocchio.

The 24-year-old said that after he was optioned to Triple-A, he used his time in the minors as a "reset," and it looks like that was precisely what he needed to re-find his swing.

"When they sent me down, I'm trying to reset my mind and [I] know who I can be as a player," said Rocchio after Friday's win.

He got to work right after being optioned and immediately started finding success again at the plate, specifically barreling up more balls. Rocchio saw his hard-hit rate jump to 32.4 percent in minor league games, the highest it's ever been at Triple-A.

These improvements on offense left the door open for another MLB stint if the opportunity presented itself.

The organization brought Rocchio back up to the big leagues when Gabriel Arias was carted off the field and diagnosed with a sprained ankle.

Since his recent call-up, Rocchio has a .856 OPS and a 136 wRC+, including multiple clutch hits.

Rocchio drove in three runs during the Houston Astros series and hit two RBI doubles during Cleveland's series opener against the Athletics.

If Rocchio can keep swinging the bat like he has over the last few weeks, it's going to be a massive boost for Cleveland's lineup, giving the Guardians many more options in the infield.

For example, the idea of a Schneemann-Arias platoon at second base while Rocchio manages shortstop is something to potentially get excited about if each player is swinging a hot bat.

Sometimes, all a player needs is time to readjust and reset. So far, that's been exactly the case with Rocchio.

Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage


This article first appeared on Cleveland Guardians on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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