The Cleveland Guardians 13 Games In: What We’ve Learned

The Guardians’ offense through thirteen games has been very hot and cold. The team ranks 17th in runs scored, 8th in home runs, 17th in OPS, and 24th in team average. Those rankings are helpful, but they don’t tell the full story of how this Cleveland team plays. A young but patient lineup is a great way to describe the Guardians’ offense. Players like Chase DeLauter, Angel Martinez, and Brayan Rocchio have all been impact bats providing big hits and clutch RBI’s, ultimately resulting in wins.

Superstar and franchise cornerstone Jose Ramirez has gotten off to a slow start, only hitting .163 to begin the season. The positive from that is the team has found offense from other players in the lineup who were non-factors a year ago. Kyle Manzardo, who broke out onto the scene in 2025, hitting 27 home runs, is only hitting .086 with no extra-base hit production. You would imagine his bat would start heating up, giving Cleveland even more power on top of the 12 home runs it has already hit.

The batting average for this Guardians team is quite low at .218, but backing it up with a high team OPS and around 3.5 runs tells the full story. A team like Cleveland isn’t built with top free agents, rather young impactful players that result in wins. Players like Daniel Scheenmann, Angel Martinez, and Rhys Hoskins will never blow away the box score, but are clutch and make winning plays.

If the Guardians can keep up their league average hitting with the same production from their 7-9 hitters, the AL Central should well be in reach once again.

The Guardians Pitching Factory

The story for the 2026 season so far is the pitching performances Cleveland has gotten so far. The entire rotation has been efficient and productive. Being put in crucial spots, the bullpen has gotten out of jams and given the Guardians countless opportunities to win games. Lastly, closer Cade Smith who has been inconsistent to start the season has found it of late closing out key wins for the club.

The rotation has been lights out to start the season, with positive starts from all five starters. Gavin Williams has looked the ace of the staff with a 2.04 ERA to begin the season. Tanner Bibee is a great number two option, starting the season with a 3.29 ERA. Parker Messick, while young and inexperienced, has all the confidence in the world with a 0.82 ERA in two starts. Slade Cecconi, after a rough start vs Seattle, pitched a gem vs the Cubs and has an ERA of 5.23. Lastly, the only lefty in the rotation, Joey Cantillo, has gone long in games and been extremely efficient with a 2.45 ERA.

Looking towards the bullpen, there is a lot to like. Matt Festa while his ERA is nothing to write home about, has already pitched six innings with a WHIP under 1.20. Erik Sabrowksi, who has dealt with countless injuries, finally looks healthy and dominant. Rule Five pick, Payton Pallette, looks like a great addition so far, getting up to high 90’s with electric stuff. Set up man, Shawn Armstrong is striking batters out left and right while holding leads in the seventh/eighth innings. Lastly, Cade Smith, who is a crucial piece to this bullpen, has had good and bad outings.

The heart and soul of this Cleveland team is the pitching staff, and if the Guardians want to remain in contention, the pitching must remain elite.

The Youth Movement & Farm System Update

Outside of Jose Ramirez and Austin Hedges, this Cleveland team is young. The majority of this lineup and pitching staff isn’t far removed from the minor leagues, so patience is key as a fan. With the recent injury to Gabriel Arias, young second baseman Juan Brito will man the position. At the Triple-A level, Travis Bazzana is getting closer to the major leagues.

The early storyline for this Guardians season has been the success of rookie Chase DeLauter. The power and talent that come from his bat have elevated this Cleveland team in a major way. Keeping him healthy is the goal now, so he can take this production into the postseason eventually.

Other notable prospects include Angel Genao, Cooper Ingle, and Ralphy Velasquez. All names who will eventually have large roles on the major league club. Until then, their development is key, which is something the Guardians farm system does better than anybody.

End Of My Cleveland Guardians Rant

The season is young, and by young, we’re talking thirteen games in. With that being said, some of the concerns about this Cleveland team heading into the season have already been disproven. Can the young bats in this lineup produce? So far, the heart and soul of the offense has come from the young guys at the back end of the lineup.

Preseason doubt surrounded the pitching staff, and most notably the bullpen/closing role. Cade Smith, along with others have looked just fine closing and setting up wins for the Guardians. There is a lot to be excited about in Cleveland. Thirteen games in, the next steps are continuing to build off of this early-season success into the summer.